Lion King: Of Lions and Dogs
by Fan Boy 101
Summary: The Pride Landers are about to face an enemy with ultimate weapons they never thought could possibly exists. Only with the help of some "outsiders" will they have the strength to defeat this enemy. But will it be enough? On Hiatus. See profile for details.
1. Chapter 1

**Lion King: Of Lions and Dogs**

Kiara, once again, wonders off from the Pride Lands. She runs into trouble, but is saved by mysterious creature that she has never seen before. It's a crossover. You'll just have to read the story to find out who it is.

**Author's Note:** The Lion King and its characters belongs to _Walt Disney Pictures. _Not me. Even the crossover characters don't belong to me.

**Setting:** It takes place in the middle of "The Lion King II: Simba's Pride." When Kiara was still a cub.

* * *

_**Pride Rock**_

Kiara ran out from her den. She looked at the beautiful savanna, which is called the Pride Lands. The Pride Lands were ruled by her father, Simba, and her mother, Nala. Kiara jumped excitedly.

"Yes!" She said. "I can finally go out and play."

Kiara was about to leave, when Simba grabbed her by the neck with his mouth.

"Whoa, easy there, Kiara." Simba said when he put her down.

Kiara gave him an annoyed look.

"Daddy, my two weeks of grounding is over now." She said.

"I know that." Simba said. "But doesn't mean you should out there so soon."

Kiara had been grounded for two weeks for going out to the out-lands. There she met a male lion cub that was her age named Kovu. They both were attacked by alligators, but manage to get away from them. Shortly after that, Simba found Kiara and Kovu. And so did Kovu's mother, Ziera. Both parents hate eachother. Kiara couldn't understand why. After a little argument, Simba and Ziera grabbed their cubs and left. Kiara would sometime wonder if she'll ever see Kovu again.

"Oh come on, Daddy." Kiara begged. "I've been good. So I deserve to go out and play."

Simba chuckled.

"All right," He said. "But not without Timon & Pumbaa watching you."

Kiara wined.

"No please, Daddy!"

"It's either that or you're not leaving." Simba said.

"Ohhhh." Kiara said. "Okay."

Simba called Timon & Pumbaa. A meerkat and a warthog came.

"You called us, Simba?" Timon asked.

"Yeah, I want you guys to watch Kiara." Simba said. "And make sure you guys stick with her."

"Don't worry, Simba, we won't lose her again." Timon said.

"You can count of us." Pumbaa said.

Simba nodded. Kiara just rolled her eyes.

"Okay, Okay, can we go now?" She asked.

"All right, have fun guys." Simba said.

Kiara, Timon, and Pumbaa then walk out from Pride Rock and on to the pride lands.

"Now, Kiara, after what happen last time." Timon said. "Please don't go running behind our backs again."

"You could've been hurt." Pumbaa said. "Or worst…"

Kiara shook her head.

"All right, all right, I won't run off again." She said.

"That's our girl." Timon said.

They continued walking.

_Just as long as you guys don't disgust me. _Kiara thought.

* * *

_**Meanwhile…At the Elephant Graveyard…**_

A strange Newcomer was panting for breath. He just got away from bunch of hungry leopards.

"That was close." said the Newcomer. "Now the only problem is how to get back home."

The Newcomer had no idea where he is. He isn't from around the Pride Lands. In fact, the Newcomer doesn't even know how he got there in the first place. The Newcomer looked at his surroundings. He saw nothing but bones and ugly mist.

"This place gives me the creeps." He said. "I better get out of here."

As he was looking for a way out, the Newcomer heard something. He stopped.

"Um…who's there?" He called out.

Nobody replied. The Newcomer continued walking. Then another noise came. The Newcomer moved his ears to the direction where it came from. He heard what sounded like laughing. Then he heard two more noises. Soon, three hyenas: Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed appeared. The three hyenas circled the Newcomer.

"Well, well, well," Shenzi said. "What do we have here?"

"I'm not sure, Shenzi." Banzai said. "I've never seen a creature like this before. Have you, Ed?"

Ed just laughed, stupidly.

"Well, whatever it is." Shenzi said. "It doesn't know what territory it went into."

The Newcomer watches the hyenas' every move.

"Look, I'm sorry if I walked into your territory." He said. "I'll just be on my way, and I won't cause trouble."

"Oh, don't be silly, friend." Shenzi said. "We _love _to have you stick around for lunch."

"Yeah!" Banzai said.

Ed just laughed stupidly and licked his lips.

The Newcomer felt a little uneasy.

"Um…no thanks," He said. "I'm not hungry."

"Oh…but we are!" Banzai shouted.

He then charged at the Newcomer. But the Newcomer dodges him, causing Banzai to hit a wall. Shenzi and Ed tried to charge at the Newcomer. But, once again, the Newcomer dodges them, causing Shenzi and Ed to bump eachother's heads. The three hyenas rubbed their heads. Shenzi growled at the Newcomer.

"Let's get this freak!" She shouted.

The three hyenas ran after the Newcomer. The Newcomer was faster than any of them. He climbed up a mountain of bones, searching for the closest exit. The Newcomer saw a way out from his left. He then heard the three hyenas climbing up the mountain of bones. The Newcomer ran to his left and used a dead elephant's rib cage as a slide and slid down. It was a rough landing, but he got onto his feet and started running. Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed saw what the Newcomer did. They tried to slide down, but somehow, they went farther than the Newcomer and hit another mountain of bones. The Newcomer was out of there.

"Look what you've done, Banzai!" Shenzi shouted. "You let our lunch get away!"

"What I've done?" Banzai said. "It was Ed's fault!"

Ed just made his stupid laugh again. The two hyenas slapped his head. The Newcomer was getting away from the elephant graveyard as fast as he can.

"Man…I've only been here five minuets and already I'm lunch for these strange animals."

* * *

_**Back at the Pride Lands…**_

Kiara was trying to have some fun, but Timon and Pumbaa were just making it boring. Every time Kiara try to play with a butterfly, Timon would stop her and tell her that she might fall down a cliff or a snake would go and bite her. Kiara would then try to practice her hunter lioness skills. But Pumbaa would tell that she's still too young. Kiara couldn't take it any longer.

"You guys, please." She begged. "I want to do something. Something fun."

"You want to do something fun, huh?" Timon asked. "Well, why didn't you say so?"

"We know something that's really fun." Pumbaa said.

"What?" Kiara asked, though she didn't really want to know.

Pumbaa lifted up a log. Timon then grabbed some bugs that were under it.

"Grubs." He said.

Kiara turned her from disgust.

"Not again!" She said. "I don't eat bugs and I'm not planning on doing so."

"Oh… Will, what about you, Pumbaa?" Timon asked.

"Sure." Pumbaa said.

Timon then threw a bug into Pumbaa's mouth.

"MMM-MMM Delicious." Pumbaa said. "More please."

Timon continued throwing in some bugs into Pumbaa's mouth. Kiara couldn't take it. Quietly, she snuck away from them. Kiara was finally on her own. She played with butterflies, pretending to be an excellent hunter. She then followed some birds. Then without realizing it, Kiara made her to the wildebeest valley. Kiara was amazed by it. She has never seen the valley before.

"Whoa…" She said. "These rocks are huge."

Kiara walks into the valley, forgetting everything her father told her about not going far off from Pride Rock. She continued walking, still amazed how wide and tall the valley is.

"Maybe I could practice my roars here." Kiara said. "Prove to daddy that I'm big enough to take care of myself."

She looked around, seeing if anyone's in the valley with her. She saw nobody.

"Okay." Kiara said.

Kiara started roaring. The first one she did sounded like a baby roar. She did another one. No better than the first. Kiara tried again. It sounded a little better, but not good enough. Kiara was getting frustrated.

"Come on, Kiara." She said to herself. "You've got to pull this off so you could prove that you're not a baby anymore."

Kiara took a deep breath. Then she let out nice roar. It echoed through out the valley. Kiara felt proud of herself. Then all of a sudden, the ground started shaking a little. Kiara looked and saw a massive stamped of wildebeest. They were running towards her. Kiara gasped. The stamped was getting closer. Before she knew it, Kiara was running for her life away from the wildebeest. She kept running where her little legs were taking her. The stamped was close behind. In front of her, Kiara saw little tree. She ran towards it and climbed up. Kiara was out of the wildebeest way, but the branch couldn't hold her weight much longer.

"SOMEBODY HEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPPPP!" Kiara shouted with all her might.

* * *

On top of the wildebeest valley, the Newcomer continued walking. He had no idea where he was going, but he had to try to look for something to get himself back home. Just then, the Newcomer heard something. He picked up his ears to where it came from.

"_SOMEBODY HEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPPPP!" _shouted a young voice.

The Newcomer went and looked at the bottom of the valley. There he saw a young lioness cub on top of a small tree where a stamped of wildebeest was going by. The Newcomer gasped. If the young cub let goes or if the tree breaks, the wildebeest would crush every bone in the cub's body.

"Hold on!" The Newcomer shouted to the cub. "I'll save you!"

Without hesitation, the Newcomer jumps down to bottom. The Newcomer then tried to think of how to get through the stamped. He has to be careful. One mistake could be his last. The Newcomer saw a gap and went through. Being a quick thinker and a fast creature, the Newcomer was getting close to the tree. Just then, a wildebeest hits the tree, sending the cub flying, screaming. With one great leap, the Newcomer caught the cub in his mouth. The Newcomer then tried to find a way out of the stamped. Taking one gap and leap at a time, the Newcomer finally got out of stamped. He climbed his way out of the valley. He then lets go of the cub. The cub has past out from that near-death experience. The Newcomer grabs the unconscious lioness cub and started looking for shelter.

* * *

_**A few hours later…**_

Kiara woke up. The first thing she noticed was that she was in a cave.

"How did I get here?" She asked herself. "And how long have I been a sleep?"

Kiara got up and headed towards the mouth of the cave. Just then, she saw a mysterious animal coming in, carrying a dead antelope in its mouth. Kiara backed away. She has never an animal like him before. The animal was a little short, walking on four legs like any other animal Kiara has seen. But the animal had brown and dark gray fur with a muzzle that Kiara has never seen before. But the animal's golden brown eyes showed that the animal was peaceful.

The animal looks at Kiara and drops the dead antelope.

"Good to see that you're finally up." He said. "I brought this for you, in case you're hungry. Not sure you like this, but it was easiest thing for me to catch."

"Yeah…I do eat antelope." Kiara said. "Thank you, sir."

The animal nodded.

"Don't mention it." He said.

Kiara started eating, realizing how hungry she was. The animal just watched her eat. When she had a full belly, Kiara made a relaxing sigh.

"That was good." She said.

"It looks like it." said the animal. "You ate it faster than I thought."

Kiara blushed.

"Sorry, I was really hungry." She said.

"Don't worry about it." the animal said. "I've never had 'antelope' before. Well…pretty much any animal here before."

"What do you mean?" Kiara asked, forgetting that the animal was a complete stranger.

"Well…I've never been here before." The animal said. "In fact, I don't even know how I even got here."

Kiara gave a puzzled look.

"Well…maybe remember if you try to remember, you'll find out how you got here."

The animal chuckled.

"I've been trying all day." He said. "And I still can't figure it out. Anyway, what's your name, little girl?"

"My name is Kiara." She said. _"Princess _Kiara to be exact."

"Oh, excuse me, Princess Kiara." The animal said, making a bow.

Kiara laughed.

"You don't have to do that." She said. "I get that enough as it is."

Kiara then realized something.

"Oh no…" She said.

She then ran towards the mouth of cave, but stopped because it was dark and pouring rain outside.

"Oh man, my parents are gonna kill me." She said.

The animal went close to Kiara.

"It looks we won't be going anywhere for a while." He said.

"Man, my father is gonna flip." He said.

"Does he know that you're on your own?" The animal asked.

"Well…I think he knows now." Kiara said in a low voice.

The animal looks at Kiara.

"You weren't supposed to be on your own, were you?" He asked.

Kiara looked away.

"No." She said. "I was supposed to be with these two disgusting guys that were my babysitters. But I snuck away from them went on my own."

"And that's where I found you at that valley." The animal said.

Kiara nodded.

"Well…all I do for you is to escort you back to your home, once this rain stops." The animal said.

"What will you do then?" Kiara asked.

"Try to find my way home." The animal said.

Kiara sort of felt bad for the animal. He has been so nice to her. He even fed her and offered to take her home. But she didn't even know his name yet.

"Excuse me, sir." Kiara said. "But who are you? And…what are you?"

The animal chuckled.

"My name is Balto and I'm a wolfdog."

* * *

Well there you have. It's Balto. Balto is the property of Universal Studieos and Albin Entertanment. Please review and let me know if you knew it was him from the begining. 


	2. Chapter 2

_**Back at Pride Rock…**_

Simba was furious. A while ago, Timon & Pumbaa came back, pretending nothing had happen. He asked them where Kiara was. Pumbaa couldn't hold it any longer and told Simba that he and Timon lost her. After that, Simba, Nala and the other lionesses went to search for her. By the time twilight hit and clouds were covering the sky; they had no luck of finding Kiara.

"How could you guys lose her?" Simba shouted at Timon & Pumbaa. "I asked you guys to watch her, and you couldn't even do that!"

Timon & Pumbaa were against the wall, scared out of their wits.

"We're really sorry, Simba!" Timon cried.

"Very, very, sorry!" Pumbaa cried.

"We know we don't deserve to live!" Timon said. "So you could eat us right now!"

"Just please make it quick!" Pumbaa said.

Simba growled then turned away. Timon & Pumbaa looked puzzled.

"I could never do that to you guys." Simba said in a low voice. "Let's just focus on finding Kiara."

Just then, Zazu, a blue bird with a banana-shaped beak, flew in.

"Sire," Zazu said to Simba. "I'm sorry, but with this rain, the chances of finding Kiara are very low."

"Just keep looking, Zazu." Simba ordered. "We're not resting till we find my daughter."

Zazu made a bow and flew off to search once more. Simba then went to his mate, Nala. She's been crying since she heard that Kiara had disappeared.

"Don't worry, Nala." Simba said. "We'll find her. Trust me."

"I hope so." Nala said, her head against Simba's. "I don't what I'd do if she's…"

"She's not dead." Simba said, nuzzling Nala. "Kiara is a strong girl. She'll be fine."

Nala then nuzzled Simba.

"I hope you're right." She said.

_Yeah…me too..._ Simba thought.

* * *

_**Back in the cave…**_

"Wolfdog?" Kiara asked, looking puzzled. "What's that?"

Balto chuckled.

"It's more like that I'm part dog and part wolf." He said.

Kiara looked even more puzzled. Balto sighs.

"It's rather hard to explain." He said. "Anyway, what were you doing on your own, Kiara? You could've been killed if I wasn't there to save you."

Kiara rolled her eyes.

"Why does everything say that?" She said. "All I want to do is have some fun, that all! Is that too much to ask?"

"Well…no." Balto said. "Your family doesn't let you have fun?"

Kiara lied down and turns away.

"Forget it, you wouldn't understand." She said. "Having to always be accompanied by two dimwits, having an overprotective father that thinks his little girl would always be a little girl, and having less fun by the minuet."

Balto sighs.

"Look, I know that I'm not your father and I don't know how your family works things." He said. "But it sounds like your father is just being a father and making sure you're alright."

"Yeah, well…I'd appreciate if my father would stop being a father for one day." Kiara said.

She then looks at him.

"What about you, Balto? Did your father always be overprotective with you?"

Balto looked away, and made a laugh.

"Well…to be honest, Kiara," He said. "I never knew my father."

Kiara was puzzled.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"My father died shortly after I was born." Balto replied. "It was mother that took care of me."

"Oh, I'm really sorry, Balto." Kiara said. "I shouldn't have said anything."

Balto raised a paw.

"It's okay, Kiara." He said. "I've learned to let it go a long time ago."

Balto then looks outside. The rain was still pouring and there was thunder and lightning.

"Well…" He said. "To help pass the time; would you like hear my story, Kiara?"

"Yes, I'd like that." Kiara replied.

Balto went to Kiara, sat and lies down in front of her and began.

"I was born and raised in the forest of Alaska."

"Alaska?" Kiara asked. "What's that? Is that the name of your pride?"

Balto laughed.

"No." He said. "It's a giant forest, filled with many beautiful things. Anyway, it was my mother that took care of me. I remember she had this soft comforting voice and she was white as snow."

"Snow?" Kiara asked. "What's that?"

"It's this white stuff that comes from the sky." Balto explained. "It's sort of like rain, but it's frozen. It turns into water once it melts or if it touches your tongue."

Kiara gave a puzzled look. Never had she heard of white stuff that comes from the sky and turns into water.

"Well," Balto continued. "My mother was always there when I needed her. I've always felt safe with her, never worried about anything."

Balto stopped, thinking about those wonderful memories.

"But…one day," He continued in a sad voice. "I'm not sure what happened, but my mother grabbed me from our den and we had to leave. For hours, my mother ran, still carrying me by my neck. Then we stopped and rest under a tree. I was cold and hungry and so was my mother. She said to that she's gonna look for food for the both of us and promised she'll be back. She never did come back…"

Kiara saw a tear coming down from Balto's eye. She licked it off his muzzle.

"That is really sad, Balto." Kiara said. "How long…were at the tree?"

"I've waited for days." Balto replied. "I forgot how many. I decided to go and look for her. Remember, I was still a young pup and was really hungry. I've searched for hours, but I couldn't find her. I collapsed onto the ground from because I was so weak. I thought I was going to die. But it was thanks to Boris that I'm still here now."

"Boris?" Kiara asked. "Who's that?"

"He's a Russian goose." Balto replied. "To me, he's more of a father. He took care of me since then. Then, when I got older, Boris and I walked into a town called Nome. There I met the most beautiful dog named Jenna."

"Wow, this is getting interesting." Kiara said. "I would like to hear more."

"That would have to wait till tomorrow." Balto said, making a big yawn. "We should get some sleep. I'm tired."

"Awww." Kiara wined.

Balto lies down and tries to get some sleep. Kiara cuddled next to him.

"Say Balto," She said. "Will you take me home tomorrow?"

Balto looks at her and smiles.

"I did say I am, didn't I?"

Kiara smiles and nodded.

"Good night, Balto." She said, lowering her head.

"Good night, Kiara."

Kiara slept peacefully that night. Despite that she just met him, Kiara already trusts Balto and feels safe being with him. She believes Balto would take her home in the morning. And maybe she would ask her father to help him get home. Well, that's after Balto tells her the rest of his story.

**End of Chapter**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey there. I know I haven't updated in a while. Believe me, I would've updated sooner. It's just that the document kept having errors when ever I try to update. All week, I've tried. I was so mad. But now, it's fixed and here's the next chapter. Enjoy.

* * *

**

_**Far off from Pride Rock…**_

Living on top of a massive tree, Rafiki, the wise old mandrill, was busy mixing some juice that comes from the fruits that grows on the tree. He uses the mixed juice as paint so he could make portraits of animals that live in the Pride Lands. On rainy nights, this is what Rafiki would usually do. Tonight however, Rafiki was just mixing the same juice for over an hour. He wasn't in the mood to make a portrait since he's heard that Princess Kiara has disappeared. Rafiki is deeply worried about her. Probably just as much as Simba and Nala are. He stops mixing the juice and walks towards the portrait of Kiara he made a night after she was born. Rafiki sighs.

"Oh Mufasa…" He said. "I'm afraid your only grandchild is missing. Simba and Nala are very upset about this. We have no idea where Kiara is. But I know in my heart that she isn't with you. That girl could be quite a handful, but she is a very good child. Good enough to be queen one day. So Mufasa…could you give me a sign, telling me that she's okay. Please…"

A sudden breeze was blowing around the old mandrill. Rafiki now knew the answer.

"She's all right." He said, now relieved. "But where is she and who's taking care of her?"

Just then, there was a cry. Rafiki gave a concern look. He never heard such a cry before. The cry was heard again. Rafiki turns around and looks up. A strange black bird was resting on a tree branch.

"Who are you?" Rafiki asked.

The bird just stares into Rafiki's eyes, sending the mandrill its thoughts. Rafiki gasped.

"Oh, forgive my rudeness, dear lady." He said, taking a bow. "I'll do anything I can to help."

The bird made another cry and flew off.

"And Mufasa," Rafiki said. "I'll make sure Simba understands the situation when the time comes."

Another breeze blew around Rafiki.

"_Thank you, my old friend…"

* * *

_

_**In the cave…**_

Kiara woke up, making a big yawn. She saw that Balto was still vast asleep next to her. Not wanting to wake him, Kiara gets up and walks towards the mouth of the cave. The storm was gone and the big orange sun was coming up. Morning was finally here.

"Yes," Kiara said. "I always hated it when there's a storm."

Kiara then realized how thirsty she was. She looks back at Balto, who was still sleeping.

"I really don't want to wake him." Kiara said to herself. "I'll just go look for a water hole, drink some water, and come straight back here before Balto wakes up."

With that, Kiara leaves the cave. She searched for five minutes. Finally, she found a water hole. She drinks up.

"Ah, this is so good."

Kiara then jumps into the water and starts to take a little swim. She swims on her back and spits out a fountain of water.

"Oh, how I love swimming." Kiara said.

She continues swimming with not a care in the world. Just then, Kiara heard the tall grass shifting. She gets out of the water. Somebody was coming.

"Who's there?" She said. "I'm warning you! I'm a mighty grown-up lioness hunter that has taken down animals, bigger than me!"

The tall grass was making more noise. The creature was getting close. But it turns out to be Balto.

"Really?" He said sarcastically. "I didn't know you could do that."

Kiara let out a sigh of relief.

"Oh, it's only you, Balto." She said.

Balto chuckled.

"I see you've been taking a swim." He said. "Without me knowing."

Kiara dries herself.

"I'm sorry," She said. "I was thirsty and I didn't want to wake you. So I just left to get some water."

"And thought you could take a quick swim." Balto said.

Kiara blushed.

"Yeah," She said. "But I was going back to the cave after that, I swear."

Balto raised his paw.

"Hey, as long as you're okay, I'm not mad." He said. "Just next time, tell me that you want to do something, even if I'm asleep."

Kiara nodded.

"I promise." She said.

Balto nodded.

"Now, let's get you home." He said.

* * *

_**Back at Pride Rock…**_

Simba and Nala couldn't sleep at all last night. Thoughts of their daughter being in danger were stuck inside their heads and wouldn't leave. When dawn finally came, they woke up the lionesses and Timon & Pumbaa.

"Everyone, it's time to search for Kiara." Simba said to the pride. "We're going to split into groups and search throughout the Pride Lands. Each group should be three or four. Anyone who finds Kiara is to report to Zazu. We meet back at Pride Rock at sundown. Move now!"

The pride then left. Just as Simba, Nala, Timon and Pumbaa were about to leave too, Zazu flew in.

"Sire," He said out of breath.

"What is it, Zazu?" Simba asked. "Have you found Kiara?"

"No." Zazu said, trying to catch his breath. "I've found out something you should know. There have been reports of a mysterious animal, walking in the Pride Lands."

Nala looked shocked.

"Do you think that animal has Kiara?" She asked Simba.

"I don't know." He replied. "But it's a good place to start."

Simba then looks at Zazu.

"Where is this animal?" He asked.

"I don't know." Zazu replied. "It disappeared before it rained last night."

"Well, go and search for it." Simba ordered.

"Wait! There's more, your highness." Zazu said. "Hyenas have entered the Pride Lands again."

"All right, I'll take care of them." Simba said. "Zazu, you search for the animal. If it has my daughter, report to me immediately."

"Yes, sire." Zazu said.

The Major Dodo then made a bow and flew off. Simba, Nala, Timon and Pumbaa then went to search, once again, for Kiara.

* * *

Kiara and Balto were on their way to Pride Rock. Since Balto didn't know anything about the Pride Lands, Kiara was telling him about it as they walked. 

"So, what exactly is Pride Rock?" Balto asked.

"It's a giant pointy rock." Kiara replied. "You can't miss it."

"Really…?" Balto said.

"Say Balto," Kiara said. "While we're walking, could you continue your story from last night?"

Balto grinned.

"All right, I will." He said.

Balto tried to think back where he left off. Then he remembered.

"Well, Boris found me lying on the ground, unconscious." Balto said. "He picked me up and took me to a cave for shelter. He gave me some food. It wasn't much, but it was enough to comfort my stomach. Boris asked me why was I all alone. I told him that my mother had disappeared and so I went to look for her. Boris helped me search for my mother. But after a week of searching, I never did found her."

Kiara really felt bad for Balto. She didn't know what she would do if she lost her mother and father.

"So, what did you do?" She asked.

"Boris told me that I should look for a wolf pack to take care of me." Balto replied.

"A wolf pack?" Kiara asked.

Balto chuckled.

"Lions call their group a pride, right?" He asked.

"Yeah," Kiara replied.

"Well, wolves have their group too." Balto said. "But they call a pack. Anyway, Boris and I searched for one. When we finally found a wolf pack, Boris asked if I could join them. They said no."

"Why?" Kiara asked.

"Because I'm only part wolf," Balto replied. "Wolves don't accept hybrid wolves into their pack. They think that's dishonor. After they said no, the wolves chased me and Boris away."

"Why, that's not fair!" Kiara said. "It's not your fault that you're only part wolf!"

Balto grinned.

"You couldn't be more right, Kiara." He said. "But that's how it is."

"So…what did you and Boris do after that?" Kiara asked.

"Well, we searched for another pack to see if they would accept me." Balto continued. "We searched and searched, but none of them wanted me. About a year later, I gave up of searching for a pack. Boris and I would just drift from one place to another. Then I saw the town of Nome. Boris told me it was creatures that walked on two legs that live there. They are called humans."

"Humans?" Kiara asked.

"They're hard to describe." Balto said. "Anyway, I was interested to see the town. Boris and I waited till nightfall to get close to it. We took shelter inside an old fishing boat. Boris went to sleep easily. Me, being young and restless, went to explore the town. I discovered many interesting things. I even smelled interesting food. There was a big piece of meat, hanging at a butcher shop. I was really hungry. So I went to try to take a bite out of it. But I was attacked by group of dogs."

"Dogs?" Kiara asked.

"They're sort of like wolves, but a lot different." Balto said. "Anyway, the dogs attacked me until I fell to the ground. The dogs' leader, Steele, laughed at me because he thought I was too easy."

"Did they attack you because you're a wolfdog?" Kiara asked.

Balto simply nodded. Kiara was getting angrier about this by the minuet.

"Anyway, Steele and the other dogs attacked me again and took off." Balto continued. "Despite being really hurt, I tired to get up and get out of there. But I collapse to the ground. I started crying. I kept thinking to myself: _Where do I belong? _Nobody would accept me. I kept crying till another dog came. I tried to get out of there, but I couldn't move. The dog said it was all right and that she isn't going to hurt me. I kept quiet as she licked my wounds. She told me that her name is Jenna. I looked at Jenna. She was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Red and white fur and a warmful smile. Jenna asked me for my name. But I didn't tell her. I was too nervous. I just ran back to the boat. It was Jenna that made Nome my home."

"Well, did you ever see her again?" Kiara asked.

"Yeah," Balto replied. "But that's another story."

Just then, Balto smelled something. He held his nose up high, sniffing the air. Kiara looked puzzled.

"What are you doing, Balto?" She asked.

"I'm sniffing." Balto replied.

"Sniffing?" Kiara asked.

"In other words, I can smell something." Balto replied.

Balto tried to figure out what scent he was sniffing. Then he realized what it was.

"Oh no…" Balto said.

"What is it, Balto?" Kiara asked.

"Company," Balto replied. "And they are not friendly."

Right on cue, company had arrived. It was Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed. The three hyenas smirked on what they've found.

"Well, well, well," Shenzi said. "Look who we have here, boys."

* * *

**End of chapter.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey there, here's the next chapter. Enjoy.

* * *

**

Kiara and Balto were surrounded by the three hyenas that were circling them. Shenzi and Banzai were making sinister grins. Ed, on the other hand, was making stupid little laughs and licking his lips. Kiara stood close to Balto, frightened. Balto was watching the hyenas' every move.

"Well, if it isn't the freak that managed to escape from our beautiful home." Banzai said. "And what does he have next to his leg? A delicious-looking little lioness cub?"

Ed laughed a little louder, staring at Kiara while licking his lips. Kiara was getting more frightened. Balto growled.

"You three numbskulls better get out of here, if you know what's good for you." He said.

"What!" Shenzi said. "Don't make me laugh. If _you _know what's good for you, you hand over that meal of yours right to us."

"She's NOT my meal!" Balto said. "She's a young lost cub and I'm taking her back home, where she belongs!"

From hearing that, Kiara felt a little less frighten. She believed what Balto had said and now fully trusts him. The three hyenas laughed.

"What makes you think you can do that?" Shenzi said. "Look at yourself! You're not exactly an animal those fancy Pride Landers see everyday, especially that hard-head Simba. He'll rip you to shreds! Say, wait a minuet…"

Shenzi looks at Kiara and examines her.

"Ain't you Simba's little girl?"

Kiara looks at Shenzi.

"So, what if I am?" She asked, trying to act tough.

"Oh, this makes it more wonderful, boys." Shenzi said. "We'll finally have our revenge on that 'High and Mighty King'."

Then three hyenas went close to Kiara. Balto went in front of her.

"You're not taking her!" He said.

"Then try to stop us!" Shenzi said.

"That's just what I'm going to do." Balto said.

He then looks at Kiara.

"Kiara, hide behind those tall grasses." Balto said.

"But what about you, Balto?" Kiara asked.

"Don't worry, I can handle these guys." Balto replied.

And with that, Kiara went to hide. Shenzi, Banzai and Ed laughed.

"All right then," Shenzi said. "Let's get him, boys!"

The three hyenas charged at Balto. He, once again, dodges their attack. Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed landed on the ground hard.

_These guys are not very bright._ Balto thought. _This should be easy._

The three hyenas got up. They were mad.

"Oh no…" Shenzi said. "Not again. You're not going to fool us this time."

Banzai and Ed jumps on Balto from each side. They bit into him hard. Balto tries to shake them off, but their bites were in too deep. Balto bites into Banzai's neck hard. The hyena squeals in pain and let goes. Balto then pushes his body towards Ed. The goofy hyena finally let goes. Shenzi tries to bite Balto, but he avoids her teeth and pushes her hard. Just then, Banzai jumps on Balto. He puts his paw on Balto's muzzle.

"Time for some lunch." Banzai said.

He was going to bite Balto's neck.

"NO!"

Kiara jumps on Banzai's head. She started scratching him. Squealing in pain, Banzai tries to shake Kiara off of him. Balto got up. Banzai shakes his head hard, knocking Kiara on to the ground hard.

"You're mine!" Banzai shouted.

He was about to eat Kiara. The wolf inside Balto had awakened. He charged and pushed Banzai, harder than he ever had. Shenzi and Ed charges at Balto. After swiftly avoiding them, Balto starts attacking.

Up in the sky, Zazu was busy searching for the mysterious animal. Soon, he heard noises. Zazu tries to figure out what it is.

"My word, it sounds like there's a fighting." He said. "I should investigate."

* * *

Zazu then flew off to where the noises were coming from. When it was getting louder, Zazu saw it. A mysterious animal he has never seen before was taking down three hyenas he knew very well. And Zazu saw something that made him gasped. The young Princess Kiara was on the ground.

"I must tell Simba!" Zazu said.

He then flew off, desperately searching for Simba. Zazu finally caught a glimpse him. He flew straight down.

"Sire!" Zazu shouted.

"What is it?" Simba asked.

"I've found Kiara!" Zazu said.

Simba and Nala's hearts rose.

"Where is she? Is she all right?" They asked.

"I'm…I'm not sure if she's all right." Zazu said in a low voice.

This wasn't the answer Simba and Nala wanted to hear.

"What are you talking, Zazu? Where is Kiara?" Simba said, getting angry.

"I saw her lying on the ground while the mysterious animal was fighting the hyenas." Zazu said. "She wouldn't move. I believe she's…"

"NOOOOOOOOOO!" Simba roared. "SHE'S NOT DEAD! I KNOW SHE'S NOT! TAKE ME TO HER, ZAZU! NOW!"

"Y-Y-Yes, sire!" Zazu said.

He then flew off while Simba, Nala, Timon, and Pumbaa followed.

* * *

Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed couldn't take it anymore. Bites, cuts, and scratches were all over their bodies. Balto was panting for breath, trying to control himself. He walks to where Kiara was laying at. He sniffs her. She was still alive. Balto then looks at the three hyenas, who were scared out of their wits.

"If you ever try to hurt Kiara again…" Balto said.

"Oh no," Shenzi said. "You don't have to worry about that. We won't bother her again, we promise."

"Yes, that's right." Banzai said, shacking. "You won't be seeing us again."

Ed just kept quiet.

"Good." Balto said. "Now get out of here."

"You're the boss!" Shenzi said.

Then they ran off. Balto tries to wake Kiara up. He pushes his head against hers. Kiara opens her eyes looks at Balto, who smiled.

"Are you all right?" Balto asked.

"Yeah, I'm okay." Kiara replied, getting up. "Balto! You're hurt!"

There was a deep cut on Balto's right shoulder. Blood was coming out of it.

"It's nothing." Balto said. "I'll be all right."

"You sure?" Kiara asked.

"Yes, I am."

"Well, thank you, Balto." Kiara asked. "For protecting me from those hyenas."

Balto smiled.

"And thank _you_ for saving me, Kiara." Balto said. "That was very brave of you."

Kiara giggled.

"I'm not as brave as you, Balto." She said.

Balto smiled.

"Come on, let's get you home." He said.

"Good idea." Kiara said.

Just then, from out of nowhere, a fully grown lion pounced on Balto, roaring loudly. The lion holds him tight.

"I know you have my daughter!" He shouted. "What have you done with her!"

"Daddy, I'm right here!" Kiara said.

The lion looks at Kiara, still having Balto pined down.

"Kiara!" the lion said. "You're okay."

Just then, a lioness, a meerkat, and a warthog came. The lioness went to Kiara and start nuzzling her like crazy.

"Kiara, you're all right. I was so worried. I thought something terrible happened to you."

"I'm fine, Mom." Kiara said. "Could you please stop nuzzling me? It's getting annoying."

The lioness stopped. The lion looks back at Balto.

"You have made a very big mistake." He growled.

"You sure have, pal." said the meerkat to Balto.

"Yeah," said the warthog to Balto. "You have abducted Kiara, daughter of the high and mighty King Simba and Queen Nala of the Pride Lands."

"No!" Kiara shouted. "He didn't abduct me! He saved me!"

Simba, Nala, the meerkat, and warthog looks at Kiara, concern.

"It's true!" Kiara said. "There was a stampede of wildebeest. I tried to escape. But I couldn't. I thought I was going to be crushed. But Balto saved me."

Simba looks back at Balto.

"You saved her?" He asked.

"Yes, your highness." Balto replied. "And I was going to escort her back home, but the storm hit. So we waited for the night in a cave. When the storm was finally gone, Kiara and I went."

"Then why did Zazu say to me that my daughter was unconscious and you were fighting some hyenas?" Simba asked.

"_Hey! You!"_

A little far off from where Simba and Balto were. Rafiki was there with his wooden staff at hand.

"I would like to thank you for defeating the hyenas and protecting the King's daughter." He said. "And Kiara, you are one brave girl for trying to help him."

Simba then looks back at Balto and Kiara.

"Well, on our way, hyenas came and attack us." Kiara said. "Balto tried to stop them. Then one hyena got hold of Balto and tried to kill him. I got on the hyena's head to stop him. But he pushed me hard, having me to past out. That part was my fault. So please don't blame Balto, Daddy."

Simba looks at Balto then gets off of him.

"Well…I'm sorry about that." Simba said. "Thank you for saving my daughter."

"You're welcome, your majesty." Balto said.

"May I ask you something?" Simba asked.

"Sure." Balto replied.

"Who are you and where did you come from? And why do come to my kingdom?"

"My name is Balto and I'm from Alaska. I don't know how I got to the Pride Lands though. It's all a big blur to me."

"I thought you could help him, Daddy." Kiara said. "See if you can get him back to the Alaska Lands."

Balto tries not to laugh. He didn't know how King Simba would react to it.

"I'm not sure, Kiara." Simba said. "I've never heard of the Alaska Lands."

"Well…he could at least stay with us, Simba." Nala said. "Until he could find his way back home."

"Oh no, your majesty." Balto said. "I don't want to be a burden."

"I insist, Balto." Nala said. "You've saved, took care, and protected my daughter. It's the least we could do."

"Yeah, Balto!" Kiara said. "It'll be great! We'll do lots of stuff."

"What do you think, Simba?" Nala asked.

"Please, Daddy." Kiara said. "Have Balto stay with us."

Simba thought for a moment. He didn't know much of Balto or what he is. But if he saved Kiara, he shouldn't be a bad guy."

"All right," He said. "For now, you're welcome to stay with us, Balto."

"Thank you, your majesty." Balto said, taking a bow.

Kiara jumps for joy.

"Yes, thank you, Daddy." She said.

The meerkat and warthog looks at Balto.

"Uh…sorry for misjudging you." the warthog said.

"Yeah, what he said." the meerkat said. "The name's Timon and this is Pumbaa."

"Hello." Balto said.

"Listen guys, we better head back to Pride Rock." Simba said.

Everyone then follows the King of the Pride Lands.

* * *

**End of chapter.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey there. I know it has been a while since I updated and I'm sorry. I've been busy with my other stories. Well, I finally took time to do this chapter. Enjoy.**

Balto followed Simba, Nala, Kiara, Timon, and Pumbaa to Pride Rock. Twilight was hitting the Pride Lands. Balto was amazed how the massive bright orange ball of the sun seemed so close as it was going down.

"Wow…" He said. "It's like the sun is right next to the earth, here."

"That's how the sun always is in the Pride Lands, Balto." Nala said. "It isn't like that from where you're from?"

"No." Balto replied. "The sun is pretty far from Alaska. In some seasons, the sun only stays for a couple of hours. That is why it's always cold there."

"Really?" Nala asked.

"Yeah, Balto says that it's so cold there, that frozen things come out of the sky instead of water." Kiara said.

Everyone was shocked and puzzled.

"It's called snow." Balto explained. "It's frozen water that melts when the temperature is warming up. When you have fallen snow touch your tongue, it turns into water too."

Simba and Nala were quite astonished by this information. Timon & Pumbaa, however, were lost.

"What planet is this guy from?" Timon whispered to Pumbaa. "Frozen water… Please, that's impossible."

"Uh, I don't know, Timon." Pumbaa whispered back. "That might be possible. After all, the world works in mysterious ways help the circle of life."

"Where did you get all that baloney from?" Timon asked.

"From Raifiki." Pumbaa replied.

Timon shook his head.

"Figures…" He said.

A few minutes later, Simba and the others were at Pride Rock. Balto's jaw dropped on what his eyes were looking at. If it isn't the savanna, the animals, or the sun, it had to be from the amazing rock formation. It looked like a Castile, belonging to the high and mightiest kings of all the land. If not, the world. Balto now knew what Kiara meant when she said "You can't miss it." How can you not miss it? You have to be blind in order to miss this.

"There it is, Balto." Kiara said. "What do you think of it? Not bad, huh?"

"It's beautiful." Balto replied.

"Well c'mon, everybody's waiting." Simba said.

They walked all the way to Pride Rock. The other lionesses were already there. They jumped for joy when they saw that Simba and Nala have found Kiara. Most of them went to Kiara and nuzzled her. Kiara was glad to be back home.

"My dear, where have you been?" asked one of the lionesses.

"We were so worried about you." said another lioness. "What happened?"

"Well…I was caught in a stampede of wildebeest." Kiara told all of them. "I thought I was going to be squished by them, but Balto saved me. If it wasn't for him, I'd…probably be dead."

All of the lionesses look at Balto. They have never seen an animal like him before. But he would risk his life to save Kiara's, then he's probably not a bad guy. One lioness walks to him.

"Thank you, sir." She said. "Thank you for saving my granddaughter."

Balto nodded.

"You're welcome." He said.

Then all of the other lionesses went to Balto and thanked him. Simba had to make a little roar to get everyone's attention.

"As we all can tell, Balto isn't from around the Pride Lands." He said. "He says that he's from a place called Alaska. He also says that he doesn't know how got to the Pride Lands. So as a thank you for rescuing and taking care of Kiara, Balto is welcome to stay at Pride Rock."

The lionesses nodded in agreement. The massive orange sun disappeared and was replaced by thousands of stars and a dark blue sky. Simba and Nala were tired.

"Okay, let's all get some sleep." Simba said. "Tomorrow, we're going to hunt."

Everyone went into the den. Balto was surprised on how wide it was to fit everyone. Simba and Nala went into the middle of the den. Timon & Pumbaa fell asleep in the back of the den. Balto decided to sleep next to the mouth of the den. He was about to close his eyes when Kiara went to him.

"Is it okay if I sleep next to you, Balto?" She asked.

Balto smiled.

"Of course." He replied.

Kiara then lie down and tried to get comfortable next to Balto.

"Good night." She said.

"Good night, Kiara." Balto said.

Simba saw Kiara next to Balto. He wanted to go get her, but Nala stopped him.

"She'll be fine." Nala said.

"How do you know?" Simba said. "Even though saved and took care of her, I really don't trust Kiara getting so close to this…Balto."

Nala got up and looks at her mate.

"I can see in his eyes that Balto is a caring person." She said. "Otherwise, I wouldn't let him stay with us."

Simba growled a little, but finally lies down and went to sleep.

Later on that night, Balto kept moving in his sleep. Not only was he dreaming, he was…remembering.

_**Nome Alaska. Two days earlier…**_

Balto had gotten back from a mail run with his son, Kodi. After saying goodbye to their friends, Balto and Jenna made their way to Jenna's.

"That was amazing, Dad." Kodi said. "We made it back in record time."

"Yeah, once you know the forest well, you get to place a lot faster." Balto said.

"Wow, Dad, is there anything you don't know?" Kodi asked.

"Well…I don't know how to run a bush plane." Balto said.

They both laughed. As they got closer to Rosy's house, Balto and Kodi saw that Jenna was outside, waiting for them.

"It's good to see that you two are back so soon." Jenna said.

Balto went and nuzzled his mate.

"And it's good to see you've been waiting for us." Balto said.

Jenna smiled.

"So I take it that the mail run went well." She said.

"It was more than that, Mom." Kodi said excitedly. "Dad just broke a record."

"Well, no surprise there." Jenna said.

Balto grind.

"Say, guys." Kodi said. "Ralph, Kirby, and Dusty are celebrating at the Old Mill. Could I go?"

"Sure, Kodi," Balto said. "See you later."

"Thanks, Dad." Kodi said.

He then took off. Balto and Jenna made were way inside. They talked for a few hours about different things until the sun was setting.

"Balto, could you stay with me for the night?" Jenna asked.

"Of course." Balto replied.

They both slept next to the warm fireplace. Balto was very happy. He had everything he wanted; a beautiful mate, six wonderful children, and lots of good friends. There was nothing more Balto could ask for.

However, later that night, Balto woke up. He wasn't sure why, but he had the strangest feeling that an uninvited guest was inside. Balto got up (trying not to wake Jenna) and walked into the hall. There he saw something he couldn't believe he was seeing. A golden little spirit ball was floating in front of Balto. Before Balto could react, a flash of light came out of the golden spirit ball. Balto stood there, staring at the golden ball. He was in a trance.

"_Sir Balto, I need your assistance." _said the golden spirit ball. _"The Pride Lands will soon be in danger. And I'm afraid that not even my son will be able to stop it. You see, man will soon enter the Pride Lands. I know that they'll be carrying weapons that my son and his Pride stand no chance against them. Since there's half of the wild in you, I'm asking you to help my son protect his Kingdom and his family. Do you accept it?"_

"Yes, I'll be more than happy to help." Balto replied.

Even though he was in a trance, Balto's heart was still free and that's what its saying for him.

"_I knew you would."_ said the golden spirit ball. _"Please, follow me."_

The floating golden spirit ball went outside. Balto went outside through a doggy door and followed it. The floating spirit ball was leading him out of town. Around the corner, Kodi was walking back to his owner's house. Soon he saw Balto.

_What is Dad doing up, this late?_ Kodi thought.

He was about to walked to Balto, but he saw the floating golden spirit ball. Kodi gasped. The golden spirit ball stopped. So did Balto. It then went to see where the noise came from. Kodi manage to run and hid behind a large wooden crate. Thankfully, the golden spirit ball didn't see him. It kept going, with Balto still following it. Kodi crept out and saw that Balto was going into the forest.

_Dad… What has happened to you? _Kodi thought. _I gotta follow him and see what that…thing is gonna do to him._

Kodi slowly and quietly followed Balto. The floating golden spirit ball was leading Balto deeper into the forest. Kodi had to get behind from one tree to another to be sure that the ball didn't know that it was being followed. Finally, the floating golden spirit ball led Balto into a clear field of the forest. Kodi kept quiet behind a tree, trying to see what the golden ball is gonna do now. Then he heard a deep voice.

"_Now, I'm going to take you to my homeland. Once you have helped my son and his family, I promise to return you home."_

"I'll do whatever I can to help your son and his Kingdom." Balto said.

"What?" Kodi nearly shouted.

"_Very well, then…"_

The floating golden spirit ball opened a portal. Balto was about to walk in.

"Dad! What are you doing?" Kodi shouted.

He ran out from his hiding place went towards Balto, but Balto already walks in and the portal was closing. Kodi had no choice. Without hesitation, he jumps inside the portal as well. Both Balto and Kodi were sent to Africa.

Balto woke up, gasping for breath. He had remembered everything now.

"That thing had put me in a trance." Balto said. "That's why I couldn't remember how I got here and Kodi… Kodi!"

The sudden outburst had woken up Kiara.

"Is the sun up already?" She asked, making a yawn.

"Kiara, I'm sorry but I gotta go now." Balto said.

"What! Why?" Kiara asked.

"I finally remember how I got to the Pride Lands." Balto replied. "And my son, Kodi, is here as well. I gotta go and look for him."

**End of chapter. Now you know how Balto got to the Pride Lands. And so is Kodi. The future chapters will be about how Kodi is doing and what lion pride has found him. Please review.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey there. Here's the chapter about what happen to Kodi. (For those who don't know, he's Balto's son.) Hope you enjoy.**

To find out what has happened to Kodi, we have to go back a day – before Balto and Kiara met eachother. The rust and whip-creamed colored husky looks at his new surroundings. All of it is unfamiliar to him. Kodi was in a deep jungle – filled with odd shaped trees, strange noises, and the sun could barely be seen through the thick long leaves. Kodi was nervous. He has never been in a place like this before. It was like he's in another world.

"W-where am I?" Kodi kept asking himself the same question.

He started walking. He would jump when ever he heard a noise or see monkeys going from one tree to another. Kodi tries to calm himself.

"Okay, Kodi, try to keep calm." He said to himself, taking a deep breath. "I must not get overexcited. I need to look for Dad and find out what that…thing is gonna do to him here. Dad…what has happen to you? You looked as though you were brainwashed. If that thing does anything to hurt you, Dad, I swear I'll make that ball pay."

Kodi was now filled with confidence. He needs it if he's going to look for Balto and take down the spirit ball if it hurts him – plus if an animal was gonna try to eat him.. Kodi continued on. He searched for hours for Balto's scent, but not even a small faint could be smelled. Kodi was getting hungry and thirsty. Mostly thirsty. The humidity in the jungle was unbelievably high. Kodi never felt so hot in his entire life. His fur was soaked with sweat. His tongue was completely dry. And he started to fell dizzy. Kodi collapses to the ground. He couldn't go any further.

"This is it." He said to himself. "I'm going to die right here. I can't believe it. There are so many things I have unaccomplished. I didn't even get to say goodbye to Dusty, Ralph, and Kirby the right way. All I said was 'See ya tomorrow, guys'. And Dad…I'm so sorry. I hope you have a better chance escaping here than me."

As he was about to close his eyes and let death take over, Kodi sniffed something. His eyes were now fully open. He recognized that scent. It was the most beautiful thing he ever smelled.

_Water…_

Kodi uses whatever strength he has left and followed his nose to the source. When he got through some giant leaves and plants, Kodi gasped on what he saw. A massive pond filled with clear water. Around the pond were green grass, a magnificent waterfall, and beautiful scenery of the jungle. Kodi ran straight to the pond. He put his head in the water and started drinking. It was like he's drinking the water of life itself. The cool water was all over Kodi's face. He then jumps into the water. Fish were swimming away from Kodi as he swam deeper and went straight up to the surface. He felt like an all new dog. Kodi then came out of the water and shakes himself dry.

"Wow that was the best thing I've ever done." He said.

_AHHH!_

Kodi jumped. He just heard someone screaming. Kodi then ran towards where the scream came from. When Kodi came to the spot, he saw nothing but a cliff. The scream could still be heard. Kodi looks down the cliff and saw a white lioness holding on tight to the cliff to keep her from falling to her death. Kodi could barely see the bottom. The white lioness looks at Kodi.

"Please…" She said. "Help me!"

"Don't worry!" Kodi said. "I will. Just hold on!"

Kodi looks franticly at his surroundings for something he could use to pull up the white lioness. Soon he saw long thick vines on a tree. He ran to the tree and pulled the vines down. It was long enough to reach the white lioness. Kodi then put one end of the vine to the lioness.

"Grab on to this and use it to pull you up." He said.

The white lioness nodded and grabs the vine with her teeth. Kodi then grabs the other end of the vine, puts the vine around a closest tree for support, and started pulling. The white lioness felt the vine pulling her up. Praying that her teeth would hold tight to the vine, she uses her legs to help guide her up the cliff. After five minuets, Kodi had finally pulled the white lioness up. Both were panting for breath. Kodi then went to the lioness.

"Are you all right?" He asked.

The white lioness looks at him.

"Yes, I am now." She said. "Thanks to you."

She then licked Kodi's cheek.

"Thank you so much." She said. "I thought I was goner for sure."

"You're welcome." Kodi replied. "I'm just glad I was here to help."

They stood there a moment, not saying anything.

"Well…I guess I better get going." Kodi said.

"Wait!" said the white lioness. "I don't know how to repay you."

"Don't worry about it." Kodi said.

Just as he was about to leave, Kodi didn't move.

"I don't know where to start." He said out loud.

"Huh?" asked the white lioness.

Kodi looks at her.

"Listen, I'm sort of lost." He said. "I've never been here before. And I'm searching for my dad, but I don't know where his scent is."

"Well, would you like to come with me?" said the white lioness. "I'm sure my Pride would be happy to help you."

Kodi thought for a moment. He doesn't know who or what she is. He hasn't seen a lioness before. However…what choice does he have? He did save her life after all. He's pretty sure she'll help him in return.

"Okay, sure." Kodi finally replied.

"But first, may I ask you something?" asked the white lioness.

"Sure, if you let me ask you something." Kodi replied.

"Okay."

"Who and what are you?" They both asked.

Kodi and the white lioness were surprised that they both asked the same question.

"Well, I'll start first. My name is Kodi and I'm a husky."

"I'm Lea and I'm a lioness."

"Well, nice to meet you, Lea." Kodi said.

"Nice to meet you too, Kodi." Lea said. "Well, we better get going. With the log gone, it's gonna take a while to get to the other side to where my Pride is."

"Huh?" Kodi asked.

"There use to be a log here, but it broke when I tried to get to the other side." Lea explained.

"So that explains why you were hanging on the cliff." Kodi said.

Lea nodded.

"Shall we go, Kodi?" She asked.

"Yeah, lead the way." Kodi replied.

Kodi followed Lea to her Pride. For a while, they both kept quiet. Kodi didn't know what to say, nor did Lea. They didn't want to ask something that might offend the other. Finally, Lea found something she could say.

"So Kodi, I've never any 'huskies' before. How many are you?"

Kodi stops.

"Well…to be honest, Lea, I'm not sure." He replied.

"What do you mean?" Lea asked.

"I've never been any part of this place before." Kodi said. "I'm from a place called Nome, Alaska."

"Nome, Alaska?" Lea asked. "Where's that?"

"I'm not sure." Kodi replied.

Lea gave a puzzled look at the husky. Is Kodi doing this on purpose? Or is he just a young cub that doesn't know much? Kodi could see it in Lea's eyes that she doesn't have a clue on what he's saying.

"Look, Lea, I could tell you what has happened to me and my dad, but I don't think you'll believe me." He said. "Heck, even I'm having trouble believing it, myself."

"Well…just tell me what happened and maybe I'll believe you." Lea said.

"Okay, about a while ago, I was walking home – then I saw my dad following a little golden ball. It was floating in midair – like if it's a spirit or something. My dad was just following it like it was nothing. The ball had done something to him. I don't know what though. I hid from the ball and quietly fallowed it and my dad into the forest. When we got to the deep part of the woods, the ball told my dad something – something I didn't quite understand. Then I heard my dad saying he'll do whatever he can to help someone's son and family. I did not know what he meant. Right after that, a portal opens. My dad walks in. I tried to stop him, but the portal closed right after I went in. Since then, I don't know where I am or where my dad is. Right now, I just hope he's okay..."

Lea looks at Kodi; not for thinking he's crazy, but for feeling sorry for him. The news of the golden ball got her thinking.

_Why does that sound familiar?_ She thought.

Then it hit the white lioness like a ton of rocks.

"I got it!" Lea screamed.

"What?" Kodi asked.

"My grandma has told me stories of little floating golden balls when I was a cub." Lea said. "She told me that they're spirits of Great Kings of the past. Whenever something terrible is about to happen and the new King stands no chance against it, the King from before will go and search for someone from all over to help the King and his Kingdom. Your father must've chosen to help one of the King's Kingdom."

Kodi's eyes were wide when he heard this. He never expected any of this. Was there something special in his father for a past King to call and get him? Lea could tell Kodi was shocked.

"Kodi, I think we should go see my Pride now." She said. "I'm pretty sure my grandma would tell you more about this."

Kodi shock his head, trying to get back to reality.

"Yeah, we should get going." He said.

They continued on. Twilight was hitting the sky and so were clouds.

"It's gonna rain soon." Lea said. "We better hurry."

"How far do we have to go, Lea?" Kodi asked.

"Not too far." Lea replied. "But we have to get there before my dad –"

She didn't get a chance to finish her sentence because her entire Pride has found her. All of them were almost as white as snow – like Lea. They all looked older than Lea too. Kodi counted about ten in Lea's Pride – two lions and eight lionesses. The one lion in the Pride looked like the leader. He was taller and muscular than any of the Pride. His white main was long and thick. The white lion had emerald green eyes – just like Lea.

The lion looks at Lea.

"Before what, daughter?" He asked, overhearing from what Lea was gonna say. "Before he blows a vain for being worried that his daughter has been gone far too long on her first hunt? Before he finds his daughter being ripped up by hyenas and…"

"Kora!" shouted one of the lionesses.

The white lion looks back at an older looking lioness.

"That's enough! Can't you see that Lea is just fine? You shouldn't be saying such things to her!"

The white lion growled a little.

"Mother, she's been gone since sunrise. I kept thinking that she was hurt or killed."

"Well, Kora, as can see, Lea is neither of what you thought. And so what if she's been gone since sunrise? You didn't think that she'll catch a prey in an hour, did you?" said the older white lioness.

The white lion looks back at Lea then realizes that Kodi was behind her. He started growling.

"What are you doing in our territory, outlander?" He demanded.

The entire Pride went to Kodi and started growling, baring their long sharp teeth. Kodi was petrified.

"Wait!" Lea shouted. "Please don't hurt him!"

"And why should we not, Lea?" The white lion said. "This…animal has walked into our lands without permission. We should have him pay for that."

"He has permission – by me, Father." Lea said.

The white lion was getting more angry at his daughter.

"What in heaven's name made you do that? You have no reason to have this animal here."

"Oh yes, I do!" Lea said with anger. "I brought him here because he saved my life!"

The entire Pride gasped by this. Even the white lion was shocked.

"H-how did this animal saved your life?" He asked.

"When I was crossing the log that leads to the other side to look for prey, it cracked." Lea explained. "The log broke into two. I barely managed to grab hold to the side of the cliff. I tried to climb up, but I couldn't. Soon, Kodi heard my screaming for help. Instead of leaving me to perish, he got some vines for me to climb up. So if it wasn't for Kodi, Father, I wouldn't be here."

The white lion felt ashamed of himself.

"I'm sorry, Lea." He said. "But that doesn't explain why you brought him here."

"Kodi says that he seen a spirit ball taking his father away." Lea replied. "I thought of as my way of thanking him, I'd bring Kodi here to learn more about the spirit ball from Grandma."

The older white lioness walks up to them.

"Did you say the spirit ball, Lea?" She asked.

"Yes, Grandma." Lea replied. "Kodi has seen it take his father away."

The older white lioness then looks at Kodi.

"Is it true?" She asked. "You've actually seen it?"

"Uh…yeah." Kodi replied. "It took my father to this place."

"Oh, young man." said the white lioness, taking a bow. "What a day this is? First you've saved my darling granddaughter from fall to her death, now I've actually met someone that has seen the spirit ball. You must be very proud of your father now."

Kodi was getting more confused by the second. How could he be proud of this? The spirit ball did _kidnap _his father.

"Uh…I'm not exactly sure 'proud' is the right word of how I feel right now." He said.

"What do you mean?" asked the older white lioness. "One of the Great Kings of the past has asked your father to help the new King and his Kingdom. To me, that's an honor beyond anything."

"Grandma, Kodi really doesn't know much about all of this." Lea cut in.

"Oh…of course." said the older white lioness.

Drops of rain were now falling on Kodi and the Pride of white lions.

"We better discuss this back at the den." said the older white lioness.

"Mother, are you sure about this?" asked the white lion.

"Kora, this young man has saved your daughter's life." said the older white lioness. "We could at least thank him by letting him share our den until the rain stops. As I can tell, there's gonna a huge storm soon."

The white lion looks back at Kodi.

"All right, you can stay with us." He said. "But if do anything to hurt my Pride, I'll kill you myself."

"Yes…Sir." Kodi said.

The white lion then started moving to the den. The Pride followed him – except Lea and the older white lioness. They were still with Kodi.

"Oh, don't mind my son, Kora." the older white lioness said to Kodi. "He's just has this stubborn side. But he can be really nice."

Kodi had a hard time trying to imagine that.

"Oh, where are my manners? Hello, my name is Talu." said the older white lioness.

"Hi, I'm Kodi."

"Well, we better get to the den before we catch a cold." Talu said. "From there, we can discuss more about the spirit ball."

They started following Kora and the Pride. Something kept telling Kodi that it's a bad idea to stay with this lion pride, but if it means learning more about the spirit ball and what it's gonna do with his dad, he didn't care.

**End of chapter. I bet most of you thought Kodi was gonna meet the Outsiders, but I'm sorry he doesn't. The Outsiders are NOT in my story. Anyway, in the next chapter, Kodi will learn more about the spirit ball. And he meets Lea's brother, Suka. Things are not gonna be easy for Kodi. Please review.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey everyone. Sorry for the LONG wait. Things have been crazy for me, these last few weeks. Anyway, here's the next chapter. It still follows up with Kodi. (Balto's son) Remember, the setting is in the exact time Balto and Kiara were alone in the cave. Enjoy.

* * *

**

Heavy drops of rain were starting to fall all over Kodi. His fur was getting soaked and fast. It didn't take a minute for Kodi to feel like he was splashed with a big barrow full of water. The heavy rain was getting into his eyes, making it hard for Kodi to see where the pride of white lions are going. Lea and Talu were a couple of feet away from him. Kora was far up ahead from the rest of his pride. This was of course natural to the big felines of the jungle – having the big heavy rain pour all over them as they walked to their den.

For Kodi, however, this is something completely new to him. Back at Nome, he was only use to heavy snow while on his mail-runs – its hard, soft, thick, coldness his feet felt as he ran for miles on end. Now, all Kodi's feet could feel is the cold, wet, and slippery grass. He couldn't believe that a little while ago, the weather in the jungle was hot enough to melt all the snow of Alaska. Now, Kodi thinks that this heavy rain could possibly flood all of Alaska.

Two big drops of rain went into his eyes, causing him to slip and fall into a big puddle. Lea turned around and saw Kodi getting up and spitting out water. She went back to him.

"You okay, Kodi?" She asked.

"I'm fine." Kodi replied in a bitter tone. "I just had water in my eyes, that's all."

"Just hang in there a little longer. We're getting close to some long trees. Their long thick leaves should cover us from the rain." Lea said, adding, "Looks like me and my grandma were right that a heavy storm was coming."

Kodi didn't say anything. He just wanted get out of the rain as soon as possible. Lea saw that Kodi was in no mood for jokes – so she decided not to talk anymore. They walked into the deeper parts of the jungle. Lea was right about the trees. Its long and thick leaves were like umbrellas to Kodi and the Pride. It was a good time for everyone to shake themselves dry. Kodi was glad to get the chilly water out of his rust-colored fur. The pride of white lions continued back to their den.

"We're almost there, Kodi." Lea said. "Soon, Grandma will tell you about the spirit ball. And hopefully help you find your father."

"Yeah, I hope so too, Lea." Kodi said.

Finally, they were there. The den was in a little mountain – big enough for the whole white lion pride to fit in. The lionesses found their spots and curled up and went to sleep. Kodi went to where Lea and Talu were going to rest at, but was stopped by a roar from Kora.

"What do you think you're doing, Outlander?" Kora exclaimed.

"I-I was just…gonna hear…what Talu has to say about the spirit ball." Kodi replied, nervously.

"That's right, Kora." Talu said angrily. "Now show some respect for Kodi. He's not doing anything wrong. And he did save Lea's life, after all."

Kora looks at his mother then back at Kodi. He just glares at the young husky. If looks could kill, Kodi would be dead – faster than a heartbeat. Without another word, Kora just walks off. Talu sighs.

"Please forgive my son, Kodi." She said. "He hasn't been himself these past full-moons."

"Oh no – it's okay." Kodi said, although it was a lie.

He couldn't understand why Kora hates him so much. Kodi hasn't done anything to the guy. He barely just met him. And the fact that Kodi has _indeed_ saved Lea – Kora's own daughter. That should count for something, right?

_Ah, forget about him. _Kodi thought. _The reason why I'm here is to look for my father. After the storm stops and I have all the info I could get, I'm out of here. That should make Kora happy – not to see my face again._

"Okay, shall we get started, Kodi?" Talu asked.

"Oh…yes!" Kodi said.

"All right, please – let us all be comfortable."

Kodi, Lea, and Talu rested on the ground. All three faces were staring at eachother.

"All right then, to find out which Pride the past king or queen was from, you have to give me a description of the spirit ball, Kodi." Talu instructed.

"A description?" Kodi asked. "What do you mean exactly?"

"I mean – what color is the spirit ball, what does it look like, how deep and strong is the spirit's voice, how does it float – anything." Talu replied.

Kodi started thinking, trying to get a clear picture of the spirit ball that kidnapped his father. Finally, he remembers it exactly.

"Well, the spirit ball's color was sort of a brownish-gold." Kodi explained.

"Okay." Talu said. "Anything else?"

"Well…not much to say on what else it looks like." Kodi said. "But its voice – it had this…deep and strong type of voice. Like…he was once a mighty king, but he cares about his family and his kingdom. I can't really describe it. It's a voice that I've never heard before."

Talu tried to think of a king with a voice like that. In her youth, she has seen many kingdoms and their kings and queens. Her pride use to travel from one kingdom to another, looking for a place to call home. Talu has made friends with the kings and queens' sons and daughters. They would play tag, scare animals that were smaller than them, take swims in the waterhole, saying who has the loudest roar – things little cubs would usually do. The only thing Talu hated from it – was when she has to say good-bye to her friends, because her Pride was moving on. Finally, her Pride has found a home – inside the deep beautiful jungle – which she and the Pride are resting at, right now.

It was in the tip of Talu's tongue now. There was only one lion she knew with a voice Kodi had described, but she wasn't too sure about it.

"Kodi, I know this may sound strange, but you're gonna have to repeat what the voice said."

"Uh…what do you mean exactly?" Kodi asked.

"I mean you have to say the same way the voice of the Spirit Ball." Talu explained. "Like repeat its tone and accent."

Kodi couldn't help but give Talu a "You've-got-to-be-kidding-me" look. Even Lea was giving her grandmother a puzzled look. Talu sighs at both of them.

"Look, if you want to know who the Spirit Ball is and why it took your father away, Kodi, you have to at least _try_ to mimic the Spirit Ball's voice." She said.

"Okay, I'll try." Kodi said. "But I don't think I can do it well."

Kodi tries to remember the Spirit Ball's exact tone of voice. When he remembers it perfectly, Kodi took a deep breath and said it.

"**_Now, I'm going to take you to my homeland. Once you have helped my son and his family, I promise to return you home."_**

Talu's eyes widen after she heard that. Kodi didn't say the line perfectly, but it was good enough for her. She has no doubts on this one. Talu now knows who the Spirit Ball is.

"Mufasa…" Talu said in a low voice.

"What did you say, Grandma?" Lea asked.

"I know who it is." Talu said.

"Who?" Kodi and Lea asked.

"The Spirit Ball's name is Mufasa – former king of the Pride Lands." Talu replied.

Kodi and Lea looked at eachother – then back to Talu.

"How could you be so sure, Grandma?" Lea asked.

"Yeah, even I thought I stunk on repeating the Spirit Ball's tone of voice." Kodi said.

"Oh no, I know for certain who it is." Talu said. "I could never forget that voice."

She then turns away from the two young ones.

"Mufasa…I…can't believe it." She whispered. "Y-you've actually died…?"

Kodi looks at Lea, who was just as confused as he is. They could hear Talu – what sounded like she's crying.

"Grandma, what's wrong?" Lea asked, getting close to her.

Talu looks at her granddaughter with tears in her eyes.

"It's nothing." Talu replied, wiping her tears off with her white paw. "I just…got startled by this discovery."

She then looks at Kodi.

"I know where your father is now." Talu said in a serious tone. "The Spirit Ball has taken him to the Pride Lands. It's about a day and a half journey from here. Once the storm is over, I'll give you the guidelines you'll need."

"Uh…right. Thank you so much, Talu." Kodi said.

Talu smiles and nodded.

"It's the least I could do – for saving my granddaughter." She said. "Now, I suggest you get some rest, Kodi. You've got a big day, tomorrow."

"Yeah… I guess I should." Kodi said.

As he got up and turned around, without looking, Kodi bumped into a lion.

"Hey! You better watch it, Outlander!" the lion yelled, shoving Kodi out of the way. Kodi fell to the ground – hard.

"Sorry." Kodi said, getting up – trying really hard not the yell at the lion.

"You're gonna be sorry if you're in my way again, you filthy hyena!" The lion said.

"SUKA!"

Kodi and the young lion turn their directions to Talu, who was enraged. Lea was glaring at the young lion with rage as well.

"How DARE you do that to our guest!" Talu exclaimed. "There are no reasons and excuses for what you've done! You know better than to shove someone just because their in your way!"

"Grandma," the young lion said in a respectful voice. "Why should I respect this hyena? Don't you remember what they've done to-"

"Yes! I am well aware of what they've done!" Talu cut in. "But that's still no excuse of your actions! Besides, I'm afraid you're sadly mistaken, Suka. Kodi, here, is not a hyena."

Suka looks back at Kodi, who was looking back at him. Like all the others in the Pride, the young lion's fur was as white as snow. He appeared to be the same age as Lea. – with young amber and emerald-colored eyes – almost like Lea and Kora's. However, unlike the rest of his Pride, Suka's growing mane was colored blood-red – growing on top of his head, all the way down to his shoulders in a straight line.

Suka looks back at Talu.

"Well, he's not like any hyena I've ever seen." He said. "But anything that _looks_ like a hyena makes by blood boil."

Kodi couldn't take it any longer.

"Hey! I'm not a hyena or whatever it is you think I am! I'm a husky!"

Suka growls at Kodi. He wanted nothing more than to pounce on rust-colored creature and rip him to shreds. Talu and Lea could see that look in his eyes.

"Don't even THINK of harming Kodi, Suka!" Lea exclaimed.

Suka looks back at Lea and growls at her.

"What have I told you, sister?" He said. "Not to call me by that name!"

"Why not?" Lea said. "That is your name."

Suka's growls were getting even louder.

"Enough!" Talu exclaimed "Suka, your behavior tonight is inexcusable! You were taught WAY better than that! Now, I want you to apologize to your sister – then to Kodi! Do I make myself clear?"

Suka finally stops growling. He lowers his head at his grandmother – like a little cub that disobeyed his parents. He then looks at Lea.

"Sorry, Sis." He said in a low voice.

Suka then looks at Kodi. He was having a hard time trying to say the word. He looked like just ate a rotten zebra.

"Sorry." Suka finally said, before he took off without saying another word.

Talu shook her head.

"I just don't know what's wrong with that boy." She said to herself. "I remember he use to be such a good cub…"

Talu then looks back at Kodi.

"Well, I guess you should get some sleep now." She said.

"Yeah…right…goodnight, Talu, Lea." Kodi said.

He then went towards the mouth of the cave – the only spot where he couldn't possibly disturb the white felines. Lea, for some reason, couldn't help but feel sorry for him. She wanted to talk to him, get to know him, see where he's from and everything. Talu saw her look.

"Go on." Talu said.

"Huh?" Lea asked.

"Go talk to him." Talu said. "Not too long though, remember that."

"Grandma…I not sure he wants to talk to anyone right now." Lea said. "I don't blame him. Kodi has shown nothing but kindness, since he saved me. But nobody else, except me and you, have shown kindness to him."

"Darling, right now, all the young one wants is somebody to talk to." Talu said. "He's all alone in this land – and worried about his father. So please, talk to him. Get to know him. You might even like him a lot more."

Talu then went towards the back of the cave to get some sleep.

"But Grandma…" Lea said.

"Don't worry." Talu called out. "I'll tell you about the former king of the Pride Lands in the morning. Goodnight."

Lea smiled.

"Goodnight, Grandma."

After seeing her grandmother lying down to get some sleep, Lea slowly walked towards the mouth of the cave.

* * *

Kodi stares outside the den, hearing the rain hitting on the thick long leaves of the trees. Sounds of thunder and flashes of lightning were coming through the long trees. These were only things Kodi could see and hear as he tries to fall asleep. However, Kodi couldn't keep his eyes close for very long. So many things were in his mind, all at once – that sleep was impossible for him. 

For one thing, Kodi was worried about his father. He hasn't seen, sniffed, or heard from him since he's been in this mysterious land. Even though Talu has explained why his father was brought here and she's gonna give him directions to where he should be; Kodi was still worried. He doesn't know what his father has to do for this king. It might be something very dangerous that he could get seriously hurt – or even worse…

_No! I shouldn't be thinking like that! _Kodi thought. _My dad is tough and fearless! Nothing could ever beat him!_

That's right! His father is a tough old wolfdog. And Kodi knows his father would help those who are in trouble, hypnotized or not. He lays his head on top of his two front paws, trying to get some rest. He's gonna need it for wherever he has to go in the morning – to look for his dad. Talu had told him that it's a day and a half journey to the "Pride Lands" from where they are. But would there be obstacles, along the way? After all, Kodi hasn't been in these new lands for very long. He had just met gigantic felines that treat him like dirt – except for only two of them. If it weren't for the heavy rain and the unknown location and obstacles, Kodi would've been out of here after receiving the information from Talu.

Kodi still couldn't sleep. The other thing that's bothering him is the fact that most of the white lions hate his guts.

_Why do they hate me? _Kodi thought. _I haven't done anything to them. I just saved one of their own, after all._

Kodi was at least expecting a big "Thank you" from the white lion pride and showering him with gifts – not that he would accept any, of course. Instead, all he's getting is angry and hateful looks. The king of the white lion pride is threatening Kodi that he'll kill him if he does anything mistrustful. And the king's son wants rip him into shreds and keeps calling him a "Hyena" for some reason. Kodi doesn't know what that is. Is it a different kind of animal? Or something they call to outsiders? Whatever it is, that's not what Kodi is.

Kodi just stares outside the mouth of the cave, once again. What he would give just to talk to someone? It would make him feel a lot better than he is now. Kodi just sighs and rest his head down again, trying to close his eyes for the night.

"_Hey…"_

Kodi shot up. Someone was talking to him. He looks franticly to see who it was. Soon he was relieved that it was just…

"Lea?"

"I'm sorry, Kodi – I didn't mean to startle you." She said. "I saw your eyes close and just wanted to see if you're really asleep."

"Oh – it's okay." Kodi said. "I wasn't able to sleep anyway."

They stood there for a minute until…

"Is it okay if I sit next to you, Kodi?" Lea asked.

"Oh…sure…I mean…it's your den." Kodi said.

Lea giggled and sat right next Kodi. They didn't speak after that. Kodi didn't know what to say to her. Lea wanted to say something, but didn't know what to say first. She soon figured an apology was a good start.

"I'm really sorry for how my father and brother have treated you." She said a nice calm voice. "You didn't deserve any of that, Kodi. You've shown me and my grandmother nothing but kindness and respect. And you didn't do anything to upset my father and brother."

Kodi felt a little better by hearing that. Just a little though.

"Thanks, Lea." He said. "I feel better than I was, earlier. Is…that all you have to say to me?"

"Oh no," Lea said. "I also wanted to see if we could talk."

"Really?" Kodi said, surprised.

"Yeah, I mean…we really don't know eachother." Lea replied. "So, I thought we should get to – see how different we, lions, and you, huskies, are. That is if you want to, of course."

Kodi smiled.

"It's okay with me." He replied.

Lea smiled too.

"Good." She said.

They, once again, sat in silent for a moment.

"Do you want to me to go first, Lea?" Kodi finally asked.

"Yes please." Lea replied.

"Okay, where should I start…? Oh yeah! I know! I'm from a town called Nome. I lived there all my life. I have five brothers and sisters – three brothers and two sisters. My parents' names are Balto and Jenna. I love them both to death, as well as my siblings. I'm also on the U.S. mail team. Me and my three closest friends: Dusty, Ralph, and Kirby are on the same team. Our job is to deliver mail and supplies to different towns – far away from Nome. We also receive mail and supplies from the town we delivered and take it to Nome."

Lea was a little puzzled by this. Never has heard of a "U.S. mail team" in her life. Kodi saw the confused look on her face.

"You have no idea what I'm talking about, do you?" He asked.

"No I don't." Lea replied. "You lost me when you said something about you and your friends delivering…_things_ to different places."

Kodi blushed. He almost forgot that he's in a different, strange land now. Of course Lea wouldn't understand most of the things he's saying. Just like wolves, bears, mooses, and caribou from where he's from, Kodi knows that lions live in the wild. Kodi tries his best to explain to Lea about a dogsled team – what they are, how many dogs it takes to pull a heavy sleigh, and that they're run by humans.

"What are humans?" Lea asked.

Kodi was surprised by that question.

"You've never heard of humans?" He asked.

"Uh…no, I haven't." Lea replied.

Well, Kodi now knows something new about this mysterious land he's in. There are no humans here. So Kodi tried to explain what humans are to Lea. Lea had a very hard time trying to imagine creatures that wear clothes, no fur on them, live in "wooden houses", and have to make and use weapons for hunting – instead of using the ones their born with.

"Anyway, it's my job make sure the mail and supplies are delivered on time." Kodi finished. "So everybody can have food, warm clothing, and other things.

"Wow, Kodi – you seem really determine about your job." Lea said.

Kodi smiled.

"Yeah, I love my job." He said. "Just seeing the happy smiles on people's faces – after me and my team have return with the mail and supplies – just makes it worth wild. I even made a motto:_ Neither snow, nor rain, nor sleet nor hail would stop the U.S. mail_."

Lea chuckled. Even though this was a little strange to her, Lea knows that Kodi is helping his Pride any way he can, and he's proud of it.

"Well…uh…do you want me to continue, or do want to talk about yourself?" Kodi asked.

"Oh…okay." Lea said. "Well, I've lived here all my life. I really don't go far from Pride. I want to go out and explore different places, but my father won't let me. He still thinks of me as a little cub. But I'm not a cub anymore. My grandma even had to convince him that I was old enough to hunt on my own."

"Oh…I see." Kodi said.

"Basically, I can't do anything without my grandma telling my father that I was old enough." Lea continued. "I really want to help the pride, but my father would always I'm too young and that the pride doesn't need any more help."

She stopped to take a breath. Kodi could tell that this isn't the life Lea wants. She's more of the adventurous kind of lioness. She wants to go out and run – be free! And do anything she can to help her pride, also.

"I'm sorry, Lea." Kodi said.

"No. I'm the one who should be sorry, Kodi." Lea said. "I don't know what came over me. I didn't mean to shout all that out to you."

"It's okay." Kodi said. "You probably had all that bottled up for so long – that you had to let it out."

Lea blushed. Both of them were silent again. The silence was soon interrupted by the sound of Kodi's big yawn.

"Sorry about that, Lea." Kodi said, embarrassed. "I'm getting really sleepy now."

"Oh – it's okay." Lea said. "I shouldn't have kept you up. You're going to search for your father tomorrow, after all."

"Yeah, I just hope he's okay…" Kodi said, looking down.

Lea felt bad for Kodi. She wanted to say something to comfort him, but she didn't what to say. For some reason, Lea already cares about Kodi and wants help him look for his father.

"Well…I'll go and let you sleep, Kodi." She said, getting up. "It was nice talking to you."

"Yeah…same here." Kodi said. "We could talk more, tomorrow, before I leave."

Lea smiled.

"I would like that." She said. "Goodnight, Kodi."

"Goodnight, Lea."

Lea then walked back to the rest of her pride, while Kodi lies his head down and fell asleep. Lea finds a spot next her grandmother. She looks at all of her sleeping white lion pride – then gives one last look at the resting husky. Even though it was a short conversation, Lea was glad to talk to someone, other than just her grandmother. She finally lays her snow-white body onto the grown and closes her emerald-colored eyes. Sleep had entered her body quickly.

* * *

**End of chapter. Kodi now knows where his father is. It also seems Talu knows Mufasa. How well does she know him. And why do Kora and Suka hate Kodi so much? That and more will be answered in the next chapters to come.**

**P.S. If you have any suggestions, please let me know. Thanks.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hi there. You've all been waiting for it. So here it is. This chapter will give you a hint why everyone hates Kodi. And how Talu knows Mufasa. Enjoy.

* * *

**

Lea was tossing and turning in her sleep. Dreams of a very horrible and painful past were inside her head and wouldn't leave.

"No… Please… She can't be… No…!" Were all the words Lea was saying in her sleep. "Mommy… Not Mommy… Please…! Not Mommy… I want…you back, Mommy! Please come back!!!"

In her dream, Lea could hear a beautiful and gentle voice. A voice she has longed to hear again…but would never happen.

"_I'll always be there when you need me, my little Lea…"_

Lea woke up. She looked franticly at her surroundings, but saw nothing different. Her grandmother, father, brother, and the rest of her pride were still resting peacefully. Lea then looked at the mouth of the den. She could see that it stopped raining outside, but nightfall was still there. Just as she was about to rest her head down, Lea noticed that tears – both dry and fresh – were all over her white furry face. She had been crying in her sleep as well. Lea wipes them off and tries to get comfortable again.

"Why…?" She said to herself. "Why am I reliving these dreadful memories? I just wish they would go away…and never come back. I just wish things were back to normal. I just wish for…Mom…"

Tears were appearing from her emerald eyes again. Lea wipes them off with her white paw and tries to go back to sleep. She was just glad that nobody saw her like this. She was wrong. In front of the mouth of the den, Kodi had heard and saw everything.

* * *

The beautiful dusk of the savannah had reached its way to the den. One by one, the pride of white lions woke up with big yawns of the morning. Kodi did the same as well. He looked outside and saw that the storm was completely gone. 

_Good…_ He thought. _I can finally leave and go look for Dad now. But first, I need to get directions from Talu – to find out where these "Pride Lands" are._

Kodi got up, stretched all four legs, and went deeper into the den to look for Talu. Along the way, the snow-white lionesses were exiting the den for their morning hunt. Each of them were glaring at Kodi as they walked by him. Kodi tried his best not to bump into any of them. He couldn't wait to get out of here. The sooner he gets all the info he needs from Talu, the sooner he's gone.

Behind the last hunting lioness of the pride was Suka. Suka and Kodi stared at eachother for about a minute, not saying a word. Suka's eyes were as red as his growing mane – angered with rage. Kodi showed no sign of fear. Suka smirked.

"Better watch yourself, Outlander." He said in a dark tone. "You may've 'saved' my sister and gained her and my grandmother's trust, but you'll never gain mine! The next time I see you, my grandmother and sister won't be there to stop me from ripping out your throat! So you better keep your eyes open."

Then he left before Kodi could say anything back.

_Man, what's got that guy all chained up? _He thought. _Well, he doesn't have to worry about seeing my face again! I'm leaving this place, after I get all the info I need._

Kodi then walked to where Talu and Lea were. Both of them were lying on their bullies, talking.

"Good morning, Kodi." Talu said when she saw him.

Lea turned around to face Kodi and smiled at him. Kodi noticed that Lea's eyes were a little red – then he remembered it was because Lea kept having nightmares, keeping her from having a goodnight's sleep. Lea thinks that Kodi didn't hear and see her, so he decided to keep it quiet.

"Good morning, ladies." Kodi replied.

"Did you sleep well, Kodi?" Lea asked.

"Yeah, I actually did." Kodi replied.

''That's good." Lea said, lowering her head.

"Are you okay, Lea?" Kodi asked.

"She's fine." Talu said. "She's just a little upset because her father wouldn't let her go with the other lionesses to hunt for food."

"Yeah, that's it." Lea said. In truth, that wasn't it that's bothering her. "Father just won't let me help the pride."

"_I have a very good reason why I don't let you, daughter."_

Kora had walked in. The mighty white lion gave a firm look at his daughter.

"Yesterday is a good example." Kora continued. "I gave you a chance to hunt on your own – to see if you're ready to hunt with the rest of the lionesses. But instead, you almost got yourself killed – and the fact that you had to be saved by an Outsider. It just shows me that you're not ready."

"Kora!!!" Talu shouted in anger. "You shouldn't be talking to your daughter like that! So what if she didn't succeed on her first try! She could simply try again! You should just be thankful that Kodi has brought your daughter back, alive!!"

Kora was stunned by his mother's outburst, but kept his proud and stubborn look on his face.

"Mother, I will know for certain when Lea is ready to hunt with the rest of the lionesses." He said in a cool voice that he's trying very hard to do. "It's just, right now, she's not ready. If she were ready, she would've came back home – without that hyena having to rescue her."

Kodi was getting sick of being called a hyena. And was also getting sick of being unappreciated for what he's done.

_Man, is it a crime to help and rescue someone, here? _Kodi thought. _If I wasn't there at that exact moment, Lea would've fell down that cliff and died. Shouldn't Kora be grateful that I saved her? Well…doesn't look like he ever will be…_

When Kora was finished, he turned his attention toward Kodi. A look of disgust was on his face.

"You don't look like any hyena I've ever seen," Kora said in a dark tone. "But somewhere down the line, you are. Filthy hyenas… You have no idea how much pain and torment me, my daughter, my son, and my pride feel – after what your kind has done. If it weren't for the fact that you've saved my daughter, your blood would be all over my lips and face."

Then he left without saying another word. Kodi was shaken. His heart had stopped while hearing what Kora had said to him. Well…at least Kodi knows about one thing. Kora _is _grateful that he saved Lea's life. Otherwise, Kodi would've been dead now.

Talu sighs and shakes her head of her son's actions.

"The poor boy…" She said to herself. "He needs to learn to let her go. To go on with his life…but it's just not easy for him to do so…"

After shaking it off, Kodi spoke.

"I think it's time for me to go, guys." He said. "Could you tell me the directions to the Pride Lands, Talu?"

"Oh, of course, Kodi." Talu replied.

She explained to Kodi to first head south – it'll lead him to a desert. She also advises Kodi that it's best to travel at night – due to the extensive heat – but also warns him not to stop to rest, because insects of all shapes and sizes come out at night. Soon, he'll reach a valley. It'll lead him to a massive tree.

"It is called the Tree of Life." Talu explained. "There, you'll meet a wise old mandrill named Rafiki. He'll explain to you where the Pride Lands are and who's the King and Queen. But I must warn you, Rafiki is completely harmless, but he can be a bit…_strange_."

Talu chuckled from her old memories of the old mandrill.

"I remembered that he use to creep me out when I first met him, but Mufasa assured me that he doesn't mean any harm. Eventually, I got use to the old monkey's laugh and kookiness."

Kodi and Lea chuckled.

"Sounds like you know a lot about the Pride Lands, Grandma." Lea said.

"Yeah, I once did." Talu replied. "That's because I use to live there."

"Really!?" Lea said.

"Yes, dear." Talu replied; chuckling from her granddaughter's surprised expression.

"What was it like?" Lea asked.

"Is it nice?" Kodi asked since he's heading there soon. "Are there a lot of lions and lionesses? Are they friendly?"

Talu took a deep breath, going back to the wonderful memories she had at the Pride Lands.

"It is the most beautiful place you'll ever see." Talu went on. "The planes are far and wide – with the healthiest of green grass. Animals from all over would go there for peace and freedom. That's why my pride went there, a long time ago…"

* * *

_**Talu's Flashback**_

A pride of white lions – known as the White Clouds Pride – have been through a long journey. The White Clouds Pride have been traveling from one kingdom to another, searching long for a place to call home. They've asked and begged many kings and queens to let them stay – that they'll help catch prey with the other lionesses and baby-sit the little cubs. But the answer they get is always the same. No. However, the kings and queens allowed the White Clouds Pride to stay and rest – for only a week. When the week is over, the White Clouds Pride, once again, go and search for a home.

They've traveled for many moons. At times, they're lucky to rest nearby a waterhole, but not a good enough place to call home. At other times, they'll have no choice but to rest at a desert field – with no herds to hunt, and waterhole to drink from. Finally, they've got their chance for a home. Many animals they've met told them to try the Pride Lands. Mandrills, elephants, and wildebeests said that the king and queen of the Pride Lands are very nice and heartwarming. The White Clouds Pride decided to visit the Pride Lands to see if it's true about the king and queen, thinking that this is their last hope.

Dusk was over the tired white felines. They would've stop to rest for the night, but they were in a long desert and many bugs and snakes are coming out from their hiding places. The young princess of the White Clouds Pride, Talu – was really tired and really hungry. Her pride hadn't stop to rest or eat for three days. It was one of those times that their just unlucky. Her father, King Talib, and mother, Queen Adamma, were leading the pride through the long, dark, cold desert.

Talib was a mighty and respectful lion to his pride – tall, strong, white fur, a shining mane, and night-colored eyes – something Talu had inherited. Adamma was a nice and beautiful lioness out of the whole pride – with fur that is whitest like the first snow winter, beautiful sapphire eyes, and a beautiful voice. To make it simple, everything about her is beautiful – to Talib, that is.

Talib stops walking. Everybody else did when they saw him. Adamma looks at her mate, curiously.

"Why did you stop?" She asked.

Talib smiles at her. Just hearing her beautiful voice makes him smile. He let out a sigh after that.

"Adamma, I'm tired…" Talib confessed. "I just wanna stop right here and rest at the very ground I'm standing on."

"But you can't, Talib." Adamma said. "You know it's dangerous to rest here."

"I know, I know…" Talib said. "It's just that we've been searching a long time for a home. We've been to every place and kingdom to see if it's right for all of us, but it wasn't."

"I know that, dear." Adamma said. "We all know that. But there's still the Pride Lands to look at. As many of the animals we've come across to – said to us, the King and Queen might be nice enough to let us stay at the Pride Lands."

"What if they don't, Adamma?" Talib snapped. "What would we do then? We can't go and search for a home, forever. Everyone's starving here! I'm starving!"

"Talib!" Adamma roared. "Get a hold of yourself! I know we're all starving! That's why we need to keep going! The entire pride is depending on us to lead them to a place where there's antelope and zebra and water, and a place to rest! And the last thing they need is their king being doubtful and scared!"

Talib looks down at his white paws. He felt really ashamed for acting this way. Adamma is right. She's always right. The pride needs him to guide them to safety. And he won't accomplish that if he becomes a coward by giving up. Adamma knew she got to him. She lowers her head towards Talib's.

"I know this is hard for you, my love." Adamma said in her natural cool and beautiful tone. "But we've got to keep going. We'll never know that the Pride Landers would accept us, unless we go there and see."

"Mom's right, Daddy." Young Talu finally spoke out. "We came this far. So let's try and see we're finally accepted somewhere."

Talib smiles proudly at his beautiful mate and daughter. He feels like he's the luckiest lion to have such an amazing family. He didn't know what he'd do without them.

"I don't know what I did to deserve such two wonderful treasures in my life, but I'm really thankful for it. Both of you are right. We need to keep going. It's my duty to keep you all safe and secure. So, let's proceed."

Talu and Adamma smiled. Them and the rest of the pride then continued on after that. They finally reached a valley, an hour later. That means they're close to their destination. Talu was close behind her mother and father. She turned around and sees the tired pride – close behind her, as well. Talu could see Sauda – her best friend since they were little cubs – was more exhausted than her. Talu walks back to Sauda.

"Hey, Sauda," She said.

Sauda looks up and sees that Talu was right next to her.

"Oh, hey," She said. "Do you know if we're almost there, Talu? I don't know how much longer my paws could take."

"I don't know for sure, but I think we're close." Talu replied. "We're reaching the end of this valley."

"Well, I hope you're right." Sauda said. "I sure hope the king and queen of the Pride Lands will allow us to sleep and hunt prey in their kingdom. I feel like I could sleep for three weeks and eat half-a-dozen zebras and antelopes, all at once."

Talu laughed.

"I'd love to see that." She said.

When the White Clouds Pride finally made it out of the valley, dawn was approaching. They could see a beautiful morning light as the massive, hot, orange ball was coming up from the lands. The snow-white felines stopped in their tracks – with their mouths wide open. They were staring at a very long and beautiful landscape. They could see tall, healthy-green grass as far as their eyes could see – and very few morning animals eating it. A majestic waterhole could be seen – the morning sun shining on its clear, cool water. All of this amazed the White Clouds Pride, but nothing amazes them more than the massive, majestic, pointed rock – known as Pride Rock.

Talu and Sauda were mesmerized by the beautiful savannah and the massive rock they're looking at. Talib and Adamma knew for sure that they've came to right place. All the stories they've heard about the Pride Lands were true. The King and Queen turned around to face their pride.

"We finally made it." Talib announced. "My friends and family, we've searched very far and long – and now, we're finally here."

The entire pride cheered.

"But we must not celebrate so soon." Adamma called out. "We still need to go see the king and queen of these royal lands. Hopefully, our long journey won't be a waste."

They continued on after that, heading towards the massive, majestic rock. The sun was rising even higher, by the time they were close. From there, the White Clouds Pride could see a proud and mighty looking lion standing on the top edge of the long rock. The lion roared at the white ones.

"Who are you, and why have you all come to my home?" The lion demanded.

The White Clouds Pride bowed their heads to the lion on top.

"Oh mighty king of the Pride Lands, we've came here to ask you if you'll let us stay in your lands." Talib said. "You see, our homeland has dried up, causing our dear waterhole to disappear and all the herds to leave."

The lion thought for a moment. He could see that the white lions have journeyed very far. Even all the way up from here, the lion could see that some of the white lionesses are on a verge of collapsing from where they stand.

"All right," The lion called out. "All of you wait there. I'm coming down there to see how many you are – and see what I can do."

The lion then walked down the long rock. In the den, his mate called out to him.

"What's happening, Ahadi?" She asked. "Who were you talking to?"

"I was talking to a pride of white lions, Uru." Ahadi replied. "They say that they've came from a land that has dried up and they no longer have food or water."

Uru gasped at hearing that.

"What should we do?" She asked. "Should we help them?"

Ahadi nodded.

"Of course, we should." He replied. "But right now, let's meet them and see how they're like."

"But what about our pride?" Uru said. "Mufasa and Taka are still asleep, and so is the rest of the pride."

"Wake those two up." Ahadi instructed. "Keep everybody else asleep."

"Do you think it's wise to have our sons involved with this?" Uru said, worriedly. "We don't know anything of this pride. They could be dangerous."

"Don't worry, my love." Ahadi said. "I could see that they're exhausted. They barely have enough strength to stay standing."

Uru still had her doubts, but see obeyed her mate's order and went to wake up her two sons. She always trusts Ahadi's judgment on other animals. He always believed in second chances – and that's one of the reasons Uru loves about him. Uru sees her two sons, Mufasa and Taka, were resting peacefully. She taps each of them with her paw. Mufasa was the first to wake up.

"Mother…?" He asked when his vision became clear.

"Shh," Uru said to her oldest son. "Be silent, my son. Your father wants you, your brother, and me to meet a pride – that is standing close to Pride Rock."

"Why should we?" Taka asked when he finally woke up. "They shouldn't be here in the first place. Why hasn't father got them off our land?"

"Because they're asking for our help – and your father doesn't chase off anyone, unless they break our rules."

Taka snorted.

"I swear; Father is too soft for his own good." He said to himself. "If I were king…"

"You'd have to wait till then." Mufasa said, hearing Taka. "Remember, I'm king first – before you."

Taka threw a jealous glare at his older brother.

"All right, that's enough, you two." Uru said. "Come on. Your father is waiting for us."

Back on the ground, the White Clouds Pride is waiting for the king of the Pride Lands to come down from his home. Some of the lionesses were so exhausted that they lied down and fell asleep – not caring what the king would do to them. Yep, that's how tired they were. Talu was resting her head on her mother's shoulder. Adamma started licking her daughter's face. Talib was focused on seeing the king coming down from his home. He had to think of someway for the king to allow him and his pride to stay.

They're all tired of only staying for a short period of time, and having to move on again. They wanted a home so they could finally rest, hunt prey, and relax. Talib knew how much hardship his mate, daughter, and pride went through. So he's gonna figure out a way so the king of the Pride Lands could let them stay.

Finally, Talib, Adamma, and Talu could see the king coming down – along with three other lions. A lioness and two young lions were walking with the king. Talib figured that it's the king's mate and children. The king of the Pride Lands is now face-to-face with Talib and Adamma.

"My apologies for keeping you all waiting," said the king. "I can see that I've been gone far too long for your pride to say awake."

He was referring to the sleeping white lionesses. Talib blushed.

"Yes, as you can see, my pride has journeyed far too long. We barely stop to rest, eat, or drink. We've been searching…"

The king of the Pride Lands left up his paw.

"Please, forgive me, but before we go into details, we should start with introducing ourselves."

"Oh…okay." Talib said, not expecting this.

"I'll go first. My name's Ahadi – and this is my mate, Uru. And my two sons – Mufasa and Taka."

Talu was looking at both of the king's sons. Mufasa had a nice shining gold-colored fur, and had a fine red-colored growing mane. He looked about the same age she is – about a year and half old. Mufasa noticed that Talu was looking at him. He gave her a heart-warm smile. Talu turned away and blushed.

_He's kinda cute…_ She thought. _Unlike his brother. He looks really creepy._

Taka had a look of disgust on his face. Unlike Mufasa, Taka's fur was chocolate-brown and his growing mane was black. He and Mufasa look nothing alike. Talu would never expect them to be _related_ – let alone, _brothers_. Something about Taka scares Talu. The way he was looking at the What Clouds Pride was like he's saying he doesn't want them here – that they should leave and never come back. It was written all over his face. Talu didn't like that.

_We've been through a lot, buddy._ She thought. _We really don't get to rest whenever we want, anymore._ _So, give us a break already!_

She wanted to say that to him. But she stopped herself. He _is_ the king's son, after all. And making a bad impression was something Talu can't afford right now.

After Talib had explained everything to Ahadi and Uru, the king and queen of the Pride Lands thought for minuet. They whispered to eachother's ear, asking eachother what they think. Finally, they made a decision.

"Talib, Adamma – after hearing your story of the horrible events that have happen to you and your pride, we've decided to let you all stay here." Ahadi said.

The king and queen of the White Clouds Pride hopes went up after hearing that, but slowly went down again.

"For how long…?" Talib asked in a low voice.

Ahadi chuckled.

"You all could stay here as long as you like." He said.

Talib, Adamma, and Talu's heads shot up. Any of the white lionesses that were still awake shot their heads up too.

"Really!? Do you mean it!?" Talu cried out.

Ahadi chuckled once again.

"Yes, young one." He replied. "I'm a lion of my word. I always stick to what I say."

The snow-white felines were very happy. If they had the strength to do so, they would jump for joy. Mufasa was happy of his parents' decision. Taka, on the other hand, was giving a dirty glare to his father when he wasn't looking. Talu caught him. She smirked.

_Ha! Looks like we're staying here! _She thought. _It may be something that you don't want, but you're gonna have to deal with it, ugly!_

The king and queen of the White Clouds Pride woke up the sleeping lionesses and told them the good news. They then kept thanking Ahadi and Uru for letting them stay.

"The pleasure's all ours." said the king, proudly.

Talu looks back at Mufasa and Taka. Mufasa gave a happy look to her – which caused her to blush again. However, Taka gave Talu a dirty glare and turned away. Ahadi announced that the White Clouds Pride can sleep in the den of Pride Rock. The snow-white felines were very grateful – and thanked the king for his hospitality. Soon, the lionesses of the Pride Lands came out from the den and saw their king and queen talking to the White Clouds Pride. Puzzled, they asked Queen Uru what's going on. Ahadi cleared his throat to get the lionesses' attention.

"This pride – known the White Clouds – will be staying here at the Pride Lands." He announced. "Until they get their strength back, the White Clouds will be resting in the den."

The lionesses nodded to their king. They too, know to trust his judgment – and he's such a kind, caring, selfless king.

Ahadi, Uru, Mufasa, and Taka led the White Clouds Pride up to their den. Talib, Adamma, and Talu were very happy to finally have a nice place to rest at. It only took a minuet for the white lions to lie down and fall asleep. Talib thanked Ahadi once again, before he too, went to sleep. Talu made a big yawn and lies down next to her mother.

"Have a good rest."

Talu looks up and saw that Mufasa had said that to her.

"Oh…thank you." She said, blushing. Mufasa nodded.

Talu then closed her eyes. For some strange reason, Talu started having dreams of her and Mufasa together.

_**End of Talu's flashback

* * *

**_

Kodi and Lea had been listening to Talu's story.

"Wow, Grandma…" Lea said. "I had no idea you had a crush on someone before Grandpa."

Talu chuckled.

"Yes, Mufasa was my first crush." She said.

"It's good to hear that the king of the Pride Lands allowed you and your pride to stay with them." Kodi said.

"Yes, King Ahadi and Queen Uru are the nicest lions you'll ever meet." Talu said.

"Maybe their grandson would be just as nice as them." Kodi said, thinking of his father.

Talu gasped.

"My goodness!" She said. "How could I forget? Here I am, taking a trip toward memory lane – while you still need to look for your father, Kodi. You better go now, before I go on about my past again."

Kodi nodded. He then said his goodbyes to Lea.

"Goodbye, Kodi." She said, nuzzling him. "I'm really glad to have met you."

"Yeah, me too, Lea – bye."

Before he left the den, Talu called out to him.

"Remember, Kodi – there's a very good reason why Mufasa has summoned your father." She said. "So you can't just go and get him out of there. I think it's best for you to help him and the king for whatever it is they're doing."

Kodi nodded.

"Yeah, knowing my father, he'll help others first, before he helps himself. Thanks again, Talu."

The elder white lioness nodded.

"Good luck, young man." She said.

Kodi then took off. He ran for nearly a mile. Kodi stops to take a breather. He soon spotted a waterhole. Realizing how thirsty he is, Kodi went to take a drink.

"_So I take it that you're finally leaving my land."_

Kodi coughed and spits out some water. He was taken by surprise. Up on a tree – close by, Suka was looking at him, smirking.

"Caught you by surprise, didn't I?" He asked.

"What are doing here?" Kodi asked.

"I don't see how this is any of your business of what I'm doing, Outlander." Suka replied. "So, are you finally leaving my land? Cause I can't wait to see you out of here."

Kodi sighed. He didn't want Suka to keep thinking him as an enemy. So he thought he could _try_ to make peace at the white lion.

"Listen…Suka – I know we might've gone on the wrong paw, so I thought we could at least…start over."

Suka's ears went up. His eyes started to turn red.

"What…did you call me?" Suka said in an angered voice.

"Uh…I called you by your name – Suka." Kodi said.

Suka jumps off the tree and slowly walk towards Kodi, growling as he got closer.

"Who do you think you are – calling me by that _name_?" He demanded. "Only two people can call me by that name. And trust me; you're not one of them."

Kodi had to back up. Suka continued walking towards him.

"I'm sorry about that." Kodi said a little nervous. "I didn't know."

"TOO LATE!!!"

Suka used his claws and slashed Kodi's left shoulder. Kodi cried out in pain and fell to the ground. Suka then pushed him away hard.

"I warned you, hyena!" Suka cried out. "That the next time we meet, my grandmother and sister won't be here to stop me. Now, as you can see, none of are here. So I could finally have my fun of ripping your throat out!"

Just then, Kodi got up. Despite the strong cut he had just received, Kodi was able to walk. Suka's eyes widen with surprise. That slash was strong enough to keep an antelope down.

"I'm not gonna fight you, Suka." Kodi said. "I have more important things to do. So I'll just leave your sight, if that's what you want."

Suka's temper grew higher. He roared and grabbed Kodi by his top neck and threw him hard to a tree. Kodi screamed in agony. It felt like something just broke inside his body. He collapses to the ground. Suka thought it was over for sure, until he saw the weak husky getting from the ground once more. Kodi just gave one quick glare at Suka and walks off. Like his father, Kodi chooses not to fight and is going to keep it that way – no matter what!

Suka growled louder and pounced on him. Kodi received another cut on his right cheek from that attack. Suka just stares into the husky's eyes. His throat was clear to rip out. However, for some strange reason, Suka didn't strike. He just kept staring into those brown eyes of Kodi's. It showed him that Kodi isn't afraid of him. Suka shakes his head and opened his claws – ready to slash open the defenseless husky's throat. But he just couldn't do it.

_What's wrong with me?_ He thought. _Why can't I kill him? I have him pinned down! My weight is far massive than his! No way could he push me off of him! And his throat is right there – in front of me, waiting to be ripped open! I have all the opportunities I could wish for! But…I just can't do it!_

He gets off of Kodi. Kodi started panting for breath. The young red-mane lion once again glares at Kodi.

"Out of all the hyenas out here, I hate you the most."

Kodi didn't reply.

"_SUKA!!!!"_

Kodi and Suka turned around. Lea and Talu were running towards them. Both of their faces were as red as Suka's growing mane.

"WHAT IN GRIM'S NAME HAVE YOU DONE!!!" Talu roared.

The young lion lowers his head and puts his tail between his legs. His own grandmother was actually growling at him. Lea as well.

"Suka, what have done to Kodi!?" She demanded.

Suka looks at his sister and started growling.

"Have I told you…not to call me…by that –"

"I don't give a warthog's butt – about you not liking me calling you by your true name, Red!!!" Lea roared. "Right now, do you know what you just done!? You attacked and nearly killed Kodi – the one who saved _my_ life, the one who should us nothing but respect, the one who needs _our_ help!!!"

Suka continued looking at Lea with no sign of defeat.

"EVERY WORD YOUR SISTER JUST SAID IS THE TRUTH!!!" Talu roared. "YOU HAD _NO_ RIGHT TO HAVE HARMED KODI!!! I CAN'T EVEN LOOK AT YOU RIGHT NOW!!! YOU DISGUST ME!!! GET OUT OF MY SIGHT NOW!!!"

"But…Grandma…please…" Suka begged.

"I said NOOOWWW!!!" Talu roared, louder than ever.

Suka jumped. Tears started coming down his cheeks. He then ran off – not looking back. Talu sighs. She and Lea then turned their attention towards Kodi. From his injuries, the young husky fell unconscious. Lea thought Kodi was _really_ hurt to stay unconscious from her grandmother's yelling.

"This looks bad." Talu said, after examining Kodi's wounds. "Lea, I want you to go get Dalila. She can heal Kodi's wounds."

"Okay, Grandma." Lea said.

She then went off to get Dalila. Lea started crying, on the way.

_Why…? Why do things have to change so much!? I miss the days Suka was proud to hear his name from everyone. I miss Father being happy and joyful. I miss _everybody_ being happy and joyful! Why can't it…just…come back…?_

_

* * *

_

**End of chapter. I know what Suka did to Kodi was harsh, but there's a reason why he did that. You'll find out soon enough. So no flames please. Okay, Mufasa and Taka's parents - Ahadi and Uru - are copyright of Walt Disney - as well as the characters from The Lion King. Their parents were introduce only in "The Lion King: Six New Adventures" books. Only the White Clouds Pride are copyright to me, and will not be used without my permission. I've never read any of the books. So if you did and I made Ahadi and Uru out of character, please let me know.**

**P.S. I noticed that many of you enjoy my story, but I don't get many reviews. So please, write me a review. I now accpting anonyms reviews too.**

**Oh, I almost forgot. Happy Holidays.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey there! I'm back! I'm really sorry I took so long. It's been nearly six months, hasn't it? I've been busy with my other story and other personal things, that's why. Well, here it is! The next chapter! In this one, Suka meets up with an old rival, and Lea tells Kodi about her terrible past. Enjoy!**

* * *

Talu looks at Kodi with grief in her eyes; it was hard for her to except that it was her own grandson that did this to the young husky – something that he did not deserve at all. Talu sort of thought this was her fault too. She had forgotten to warn Kodi not to call Suka by his true name – only to call him by "Red" due to his growing mane's color. Suka (or Red) has never allowed anyone to call him by his real name – not even his own sister. He gets furious whenever he hears it. Only his father and grandmother can call him by his name, without having him to growl and strike them. 

Lea had received a few cuts and scratches from Suka when she called him by his real name, when they were cubs – two days after that terrible incident they've been through. They fought, clawed, and scratched until Talu had to break them up and started yelling at Suka for hurting his sister. Since then, Lea and Suka haven't been close to eachother like they used to be. Lea would give her brother a dirty look, every now and then. Suka would just growl at her and walk off.

Talu tries to think of a way to get the unconscious canine back to the den. Just then, she heard some rustling from the tall grass. She turns around – just to see an old friend of hers.

"Sauda," Talu said. "Right on time."

"Talu, what happened?" Sauda said. "You were yelling and roaring so loud that everybody jumped. Soon after, I saw Red running past me with tears in his eyes."

Talu didn't show any sign of concern for her grandson. Sauda then noticed Kodi on the floor, beaten, scratched, and unconscious. She gasped and realized something.

"Did…Red…?"

"Yes, Sauda – Suka has hurt Kodi because he called him by his name." Talu replied.

"He didn't know?" Sauda asked.

"No, he didn't," Talu replied. "I was foolish not to warn him."

"We should go get Dalila," Sauda suggested. "Maybe she can help him."

"I already told Lea to do that," Talu informed. "Just get the other lionesses here so we can get Kodi back to the den."

Sauda nodded and went to retrieve the others. A minuet later, the rest of the lionesses came. Talu asked them kindly to carry Kodi carefully back to the den. The lionesses were hesitating to bring the husky back to den, thinking of what the king would do to them if they did. However, they greatly respect their former queen of the White Clouds and would do anything she asks them to.

They carefully picked the injured canine up and brought him back to the den. Kodi was then placed on to the soft ground – right in the middle of the den. Kodi was breathing heavily; his chest rising up and down fast. Everybody just stared at him; there was nothing more they could do until Lea returns with Dalila. Sauda looks at Talu, who showed nothing but sadness for the young husky.

"That grandson of mine…" Talu muttered to herself with a sigh. "The anger inside him just keeps rising, every single day. It's destroying him – turning him into a lion I've never seen before. Somewhere…deep inside him… The Suka I knew and love is in there… When he'll come out is something only the Great Kings would know…"

Suddenly, from out of nowhere, Kodi started talking. All of the lionesses jumped from that unexpected surprise. Kodi (still unconscious) just coughed out random words.

"_Why…fall…pick…up…keep…on…must…keep…on!"_

The lionesses looked at eachother, puzzled of what he's saying. Talu was a little relieved by this.

"He's just dreaming." She stated to everyone.

Kodi continued mumbling the same words in his sleep. Talu wished that Lea would hurry up with retrieving Dalila. Each time Kodi spoke, he sounded weak and sad. Talu then walked up to him and started nuzzling him in a motherly fashion to give him comfort. It seemed to calm him a little. He stopped mumbling and felt a little bit relaxed.

Talu sighed with relief and started licking Kodi's wounds. She couldn't quite figure out why she cares so much for the husky, all of a sudden. There's something about him that makes her want to help him in any way she possibly could – not only for the fact that Kodi had saved her granddaughter's life, or for her grandson hurting him; it was just something Talu feels that she must do.

The lionesses remained silent as they watched their former queen aid to the young creature. About a minuet later, Lea had finally arrived with Dalila. The princess led the shaman to where Kodi was at. Talu went up to Dalila and bowed her head to her.

"Thank you for coming, my friend," She said. "We are in a need of your assistance."

Dalila bowed her head to the elderly white lioness as well.

"It is my pleasure, Your Highness," Said the mandrill. "Princess Lea has informed of the situation."

"I'm sure she has," Talu said.

She then led Dalila closer to Kodi. The mandrill examined the husky's wounds thoroughly with her hand on her chin. She then started petting him all over his body. Kodi winched in pain when Dalila touched his ribs.

"His ribs are busied." She muttered to herself.

After checking everything else, Dalila looks back at Talu and Lea.

"Well, he's hurt pretty badly, as you all already know," She explained. "Not only has the poor creature received some terrible cuts, but may also have a sprained rib due to some sort of heavy impact, he received."

Lea looks worriedly at her grandmother, then looks back at Dalila.

"Can you help him?" She asked

"I'm not sure," Dalila replied sadly. "I've never seen such _nor_ heard of this creature in all my life. I'm only used to healing lions, meerkats, birds, and other animals that live in this beautiful land. I can't guarantee that I can help this one."

"Please, Dalila, you must do what you can," Talu said in a soft pleading tone. "This young man has saved my dear granddaughter from falling to her death. We owe him – now…more than ever!"

"All he wants is to find his father," Lea joined in. "One the Great Kings of the past has chosen his father to help save his kingdom. So, Kodi wants to find him, help him, and take him back home."

The shaman mandrill gasped and puts both hands on her mouth.

"Are you saying _the_ Great Kings have come down from the heavens to summon this poor creature's father to save one their kingdoms from great danger?!"

"Yes, and I know this for sure," Talu said. "He has given me a good description of the past king that has summoned his father. His name is Mufasa – former king of the Pride Lands, and a cub-hood friend of mine."

Dalila couldn't believe this; she thought she'd never see the day that she'll come across an animal that is the son of a mighty "warrior" that the Great Kings have summoned to save one of their kingdoms. Dalila looks back at the un-woken and badly injured canine, then looks at Talu and Lea with a sigh.

"I'll do whatever I can to help him…" She said.

Talu and Lea smiled and bowed their heads to the mandrill.

"Thank you," Talu said. "We know you'll do your absolute best, Dalila."

"Just help him, please." Lea pleaded.

"Will do, Your Highness," Dalila said. "But first, may I ask what his name is again?"

"Kodi," Lea replied. "His name is Kodi: son of the mighty Balto."

Dalila simply nodded and went back to Kodi and try to heal his wounds. Talu looks at her granddaughter, surprised. How did she know Kodi's father's name? Lea saw her expression and smiled.

"He told me last night, before we went to sleep," She explained. "The way Kodi has described him of all his past accomplishments, and for the Great Kings to summon him for help, this Balto must be a good guy and a good father."

All of the lionesses watched in silence as Dalila did her best to put in the right ingredients onto Kodi's wounds. Even though the shaman mandrill was only used to helping lions, antelopes, warthogs, and other animals that walked the African savannah, this isn't going to stop Dalila from trying to help the husky. She started putting on different kinds on handmade medicine on the deep cuts of Kodi's shoulder. The burning sting of the medicine caused Kodi to winch.

"I know it stings, young one," Dalila muttered as she continued to put on more medicine. "But it's for your own good."

Talu and Lea watched as Kodi started twitching from the heavy sting. Lea puts her head on her grandmother's shoulder – feeling sad and angry of what her brother had done to him.

"I should've warned him, Grandma," She said. "I should've warned Kodi not to call Suka by his name. I don't know why I didn't. This is all my fault! If I did warn Kodi, Suka would've left him alone and Kodi would be close to finding his father by now!"

Talu calmed her down by nuzzling her.

"Don't be saying such nonsense, Lea," She said. "You've done absolutely nothing wrong. Everything that Kodi has suffered is at the fault of Suka – and Suka alone. You've had nothing to do with Kodi's injuries. You should glad that you've heard Suka's angry roaring before he did something to Kodi that he'll forever regret."

Lea highly doubted that Suka would've felt any regret if he did kill Kodi; this was her brother they're talking about! Suka was filled with rage and hatred toward the hyenas, ever since that terrible day. And since Kodi sort of resembled a hyena, Suka's rage would boil high and have a desire to kill him without a second thought. Just saying his name, alone, would make Suka's fuse go off; and nobody knows that better than Lea.

As they continue to watch Dalila treating Kodi's wounds, Sauda walked over to Talu and Lea. Talu smiled when she sat next to her.

"What is it, Sauda?" She asked politely to her old friend.

"I was just wondering about something," Sauda replied. "I couldn't help overhearing you talking to Dalila about that…that…red and white animal."

"You mean Kodi." Talu said firmly.

"Yeah," Sauda blushed. "Anyway, I thought I heard you say to Dalila that…'Kodi'_…_has lost his father because he was taken away by the spirit of…_Mufasa_. Is that true?"

Talu nodded.

"Every word," She told her friend. "The spirit of Mufasa has summoned Kodi's father to aid the Pride Lands. Of what that might be: I'm afraid I do not know. Kodi, not knowing the Great King's summoning, has been dragged along – while attempting to rescue his father. They were separated when they arrived in the jungle. And while Kodi was searching for his father, he came across Lea while in distress. Since he has saved my precious granddaughter's life, I'm willing to do whatever I can to help Kodi reunite with his father – and maybe help the Pride Lands, together."

Sauda's eyes were wide open after hearing all that. She couldn't believe it! She never thought it was possible; the Great Kings of the Past has summoned a stranger to aid their kingdom – and the hero's son has somehow been tagged along, as well. The son has saved the princess of the White Clouds from a terrible fate – and he is right now suffering deep wounds by the too-proud stubborn prince. But to make it more unbelievable for Sauda – it was the fact that the spirit who summoned Kodi's father was…Mufasa!

Sauda looks at Talu, who already knew what she's gonna ask, made a simple nod.

"No…" Sauda said, speechless. "He – Mufasa – is…"

Small tears started to fell down her furry white cheeks. Talu got close to her old friend and hugged her with empathy; Sauda sobbed on her shoulder.

"I know," Talu said with a small tear coming out of her eye as well. "It's still hard to believe that he's gone for me, too. He was my best friend. We will miss him dearly."

"It's been – so long – Mufasa was the greatest lion I've ever met," Sauda said, between sobs. "Oh, how I wish I could see him again, one last time; just to say goodbye. He was a wonderful friend."

"He was," Talu said. "A very good friend indeed…"

Lea just watched the two older lionesses hug in silence. She felt sorry for them that they lost someone they really cared about. After all, she knows what it's like to lose someone you care for the most…

About five minuets later, Dalila finishes treating Kodi's wounds and walks up to the waiting lionesses. Lea and Talu were anxious to find out Kodi's condition.

"How is he?" Lea asked, worriedly.

Dalila just smiled.

"He's doing fine, now." She replied.

Lea and Talu let out a sigh of relief.

"Anything serious with his wounds?" Talu asked.

"Despite a bruised rib, nope." Dalila replied.

"Good," Talu said, glad that her grandson didn't do any serious damage to Kodi.

"Now, I suggest you let him rest for the night," Dalila instructed. "Keep a close eye on him at all times. I'll leave some medicine behind; rub some of it on his wounds, if he seems in pain. If he twitches, try to calm him. He seems to be having some bad dreams, right now."

Both lionesses nodded in understanding.

"Thank you for all your help, Dalila," Lea said. "I really appreciate it."

"You've done a terrific job, like always, my friend." Talu said.

Dalila made another bow.

"Anything for the While Clouds," She said. "The pleasure is all mine. I'll return in the morning to see how Kodi's feeling. Until then, I bid you all good afternoon."

With another bow, Dalila left the den. Talu informed the lionesses to go back to doing their business and thanked them all for their help. Then she and Lea walked up to Kodi and sat right next to him. The sleeping husky seemed to be resting peacefully now. Talu shook her head of what Suka had done to him.

"I'm sorry, Kodi." She muttered to herself. "I'm sorry for what my grandson did to you. You don't deserve these injuries – both physical and emotional – that Suka has given you. All you wanted is to be reunited with your father again. Unfortunately…it doesn't look you would be, for now…"

Kodi started moving his legs (which caused him to growl in pain, due to his bruised ribs). Lea looks at him, worriedly. Talu just pets him.

"He's only dreaming, Lea," She informed. "He'll be alright."

Lea let out a little sigh of relief; Kodi stops moving and seems to be in peace again.

"He seems to be having an awful nightmare," Lea said. "I wonder what it is…"

"I'm not sure, dear," Talu said.

She then started thinking of where her grandson is now.

_I may be mad at him, _She thought.

* * *

Suka stared at his own reflection in the waterhole, getting all the tears out of his eyes; the young lion couldn't believe how his own grandmother yelled at him like that. Never in his entire life had Talu _roared_ at Suka that way; he may act all tough, proud, and stubborn, but he gets really sensitive when his grandmother is angry at him. Now, after what he did to Kodi, Talu was _beyond_ angry at Suka. The image of Talu giving him those angry eyes of what he's done was stuck inside his head and wouldn't go away; it kept rewinding back to her roaring furiously at him, over and over again. 

Suka slammed his paw into the water and started clawing on the dry earth; an angry growl grew as he bared his long, sharp teeth in rage.

"Why did she have to yell at me!?" He shouted to himself. "Why is Grandma and Lea so protective with that…that…_hyena _for, anyway? So what if he saved Lea's life? He only did that just to gain their trust – that's all! I don't know why, but that's what he's doing for sure! Hyenas… They're nothing but low-lives, scum, one of the most disgusting creatures that walk these lands! Why they walk this land I'll never know…!"

He then got to thinking of when he was _so_ close to tearing open Kodi's throat; a loud roar came out of Suka.

"I could've had him," He muttered. "I could've killed him, right there! I could've bitten into his wretched neck, feel his disgusting blood oozing out inside my mouth, and dropped his pathetic lifeless body on to the ground! But I couldn't! Why couldn't I!? Why!? After what they did to my family, WHY COULDN'T I KILL HIM!?"

He let out another loud roar; this time, it was loud enough for the entire jungle to hear. After that, Suka gasped for air; that roar took a lot out of him.

"_Jeez, you sure do know how to hold a grudge, don't you, Sukiee?" _

Suka immediately turns his head around when he heard an all-too familiar voice from behind – a voice from someone he cannot stand to look at, besides Kodi. A tall lion about a little older than Suka with red fur and a nearly full-grown black mane stood a few feet away from the young prince; he had fairly good muscles that could bring down a zebra without a problem, ember-red eyes, and a black tuft on his tail. The lion made a wide grin.

"About time you realized I was here," He said. "I figured you'd keep ranting on if I didn't say anything."

Suka growled; his anger had kept him from sensing that somebody's been watching him.

"Chisulo…" He said. "What are you doing in my land, and…how long have you been sitting there?"

"First, I'd wanted to say 'hi', and second, long enough," Chisulo replied, keeping a smirk on his red furry face. "It seems like somebody's been a bad boy to dear sweet granny – having to actually roar loud enough that you'd have to be deaf not to hear her. So I take it you wanted to kill a miserable little animal; probably the simplest thing even for you to do, but you got cold feet and ran off – only to have your granny and baby sister yell at you, am I right?"

"That's none of your business, Chisulo!" Suka roared. "So I suggest you get out of here before my father finds you here and kills you!"

"Oh, not your daddy," Chisulo mocked, pretending to be scared. "Please don't have your daddy come and eat me alive, Sukiee! He scares me! I swear I'll be good for now on – promise!"

Then he starts laughing.

"Please," Chisulo said. "I can outrun your old man on three paws if I had to, Sukiee! Don't threaten me by bringing him up! It just makes you more weak and pathetic than usual!"

Suka's rage was growing even higher (like if it was even possible); it was bad enough that he's hearing Chisulo calling him by his name, but "Sukiee" and calling him weak and pathetic just crossed the line, big time!

"Never call me that again, you got that!?" He roared, baring his sharp fangs.

The red lion just chuckled.

"And what are you gonna do about it – _Sukiee_?"

That did it! The White Clouds' prince shot up and pounced the red lion, sending them rolling on eachother before they started attacking. They bit, clawed, slammed, and kicked eachother, roaring viciously as they did. Suka bit hard into Chisulo's neck; the red lion roared in pain, trying to shake the white lion off, but he wouldn't let go. Chisulo then scratched at Suka's exposed chest; the young prince finally let goes of the red lion and gets off of him.

Chisulo took this opportunity to strike; he charges at Suka and grabs hold of his neck with his sharp fangs. He then started pounding the white prince onto the ground like he's nothing but a stuffed animal. When he was finished, Chisulo throws Suka to the ground.

"You should…know better…not to mess with me, runt," Chisulo said as he was panting for breath. "I'm a lot older, stronger, and _way_ more smarter than you! You just give weaklings a bad name! It's no wonder why you couldn't take down something such as a hyena! If you did, _she'd_ probably still be here now. It's just a shame that she had someone like to you at the time."

Just when you thought Suka couldn't be filled with more rage, you're wrong. Fire was burning in Suka's emerald eyes; his long fangs were fully shown, ready to sink into the red lion's neck. And his claws were fully shown as well. Nobody talks to _her_ like that and nobody calls him a weakling. Once again, Suka charged and attacked Chisulo – this time, Suka feels like he has extra strength he never knew he had.

The two continued fighting for about ten minuets, trying to make the other fall for good. Eventually, Chisulo was getting tired of this; he had to think of something to end it, fast. He jumps a few inches away from Suka and tries to grab hold of his neck again. However, this time, Suka was prepared for this. Using all his strength, the white lion kicked both his hind-legs up at Chisulo, sending the red lion straight into the waterhole.

Chisulo brings his head out of the water, gasping for breath, and swims out of there. Suka made a proud smile of what he's done.

"Who's the weakling know, huh?" He asked. "Do you wanna go at it, again? Or do you wanna turn chicken and run?"

The red lion glares angrily at Suka as he steps out of the water and dries himself.

"This isn't over, Suka," He said. "You may have won this time, but I'll be back for a rematch. And this time, you'll be under my paws, begging for mercy."

"I sure can't wait till then," Suka said. "But it is _you_ that would be begging for you miserable life."

Chisulo smirked.

"You keep telling yourself that, Sukiee."

"My name is not Sukiee! It's Red, and you better get it right for now on!"

Chisulo just laughs and ran off into the jungle without saying another word. Making one last dirty glare at the departed red lion, Suka decides to head back to the den. The bright, massive, orange sun was disappearing into the horizon and stars were already displayed in the sky. Suka slowly made his way back home; he didn't care if his grandmother or sister were still mad at him. He just wanted to be in his nice cool den to rest and forget everything that happened today.

"Somehow, I doubt it would be that easy…" He muttered to himself.

When he was back in the den, Suka saw that some of the lionesses were already there while the others were bringing home the night's kill. Kora was still out patrolling the borders, like he always does, but he'll return shortly after the lionesses bring home the kill. Suka then saw Lea and Talu taking care of still-unconscious Kodi. Suka growled under breath at the sight of the husky.

_He's still here,_ He thought. _Of course…Grandma and Lea wouldn't leave him to be eaten by somebody else! And to think I actually thought that's the last I see of him…_

Lea and Talu glared angrily at Suka when they caught sight of him, but stopped when they saw what has become of him. He had deeps cuts, bite marks and scratches all over his body.

"What happen to you?" Lea couldn't help but ask.

"Like you care…!" Suka snapped. "It seems like all you care now is that hyena that saved you, these days!"

Talu wanted to yell at Suka, but seeing how injured he is – she didn't. Instead, she growled at him. Suka made one cold look at his grandmother, before walking deep into the den to clean his wounds and rest. Talu was taken aback; her grandson has never made such a cold and heartless stare at her before. She decides to shake off and give her grandson some space…_for now._ The elderly lioness was in no mood to be dealing with him and was worried that she might let out more steam than she wanted to.

Soon, when the sun was finally gone for the night, the hunting party had come back with the evening kill. And, as usual, Kora had return from his patrol of the borders.

"What is _he_ still doing here?" He demanded when he saw Kodi. "I thought you said he'd be out of my kingdom this morning, Mother? What's going on?"

"He was about to leave the kingdom, Kora, but he got attacked." Talu said calmly and firmly to her son.

"How is that our problem that he got attacked, Mother?" Kora said. "It's the jungle! It's bound to happen! It's his fault that he wasn't keen enough to avoid it!"

"He wasn't attack by just anyone, Kora," Talu said firmly again. "It was your own son that attacked him – and before you start roaring again – the reason why Suka only attack Kodi was because he called him by his true name and that alone. Kodi did not threaten Suka in any way – he just called Suka by his name. Suka started slashing, biting, and clawing at Kodi and was close to killing him, but we stopped him on time. It was our fault that we did not warn Kodi of this – and most important, it was Suka's fault for attacking him to begin with.

"We just had Dalila examine and clean his injuries, a few hours ago," Talu continued while Kora was looking at Kodi and looking back at his mother. "She informed us that he's fine and wait till he wakes up – and she'll be back in the morning to check up on him. Now, like it or not, Kora, until Kodi feels better, he's going to be staying with us and I don't want any more trouble from you _or_ from your son, got that?"

Kora just stares deeply into Talu's blue eyes, displaying a strong firmness in them. His mother had a gift of keeping things in order just by looking into those eyes. How she does it only the Great Kings know. Kora starts moving back and forth, growling angrily as he did; the thought of having the mysterious creature staying with the White Clouds longer than he was suppose to – made him wanna go and rip out everything the husky has inside his body. Lea just watches her father carrying on, not saying a word; she knew this isn't going to work. Kora then takes a quick look at his daughter as he keeps moving; she had her head down of sadness – which made him realize that it was the creature that saved Lea's life in the first place, and why this all started.

Finally, Kora stops moving, took a deep breath, and looks at Talu and Lea.

"He may stay here," He announced. "For now, until he's good enough to start moving again. But if any trouble is caused by him, he's gone – and when I mean 'gone', I'll be ripping him apart with my fangs and claws. Is that understood?"

Talu and Lea immediately nodded in understanding; and, for the first time in a long time, Lea went and nuzzled her father.

"Thank you, Daddy." She said before she removed herself from him.

Kora was shocked by this unexpected surprise; he could barely remember the last time Lea had nuzzled him like that, which was a long time ago. Talu was proud of her son's choice, even though the last part he said was unnecessary. Kodi is a nice and polite boy; he wouldn't cause any trouble at all. She only hopes he'll feel well soon enough. He still has to search for his father, after all.

When that was all settled, the entire pride started eating the kill and talked silently to eachother. Suka just grabs a giant piece of zebra and antelope and went back to the spot he was at, away from the pride – not saying a word to any of them. Lea, Talu, and the others pretended they didn't see him; he was in another one of those moods that he doesn't want to be bothered – so they figured that it's best not to ask anymore questions of how he got those wounds. Talu had assured Kora that Suka didn't receive those injuries from Kodi, but from someone else.

"He didn't tell us who gave him those injuries, though," She explained to Kora. "Suka just walked into the den, stared coldly at me and Lea, before going to his spot."

Kora just grunts and continues to eat his piece of the kill; he was in no mood to be concern of anything now. As long as his son is still breathing okay, he just wants to eat and sleep in peace. Talu just rolled her eyes and went back to eating her kill, not liking her son's response. Lea just ate in peace; she had nothing to say right now; the only thing she had on her mind was Kodi. Every now and then, she would turn her head towards the husky, who was still out cold.

_Man, that stupid brother of mine sure did give Kodi a hard blow to the head, _She thought. _He's been unconscious for hours. I just hope nothing permanent has damaged his brain. And I hope he wakes up soon…_

When everyone was finished, the White Clouds pride decided to call it a day and went to their resting places to sleep. Lea decides to sleep right next Kodi, incase he needed more medicine to be put on his wounds – and she told her grandmother she can do it on her own.

"All right," Talu said, nuzzling her granddaughter. "Sweet dreams, sweetheart."

"Sweet dreams, Grandma," Lea said, nuzzling her back.

When all the snow-white lions were vast asleep, Lea makes herself comfortable and stares at Kodi with grief in her eyes.

"Goodnight, Kodi," She said. "I hope you wake up in the morning, at least."

Lea then closed her eyes; about five minuets later…

"_Aargh!"_

Lea shot her eyes open and saw that Kodi was finally awake, trying to stand up, but couldn't.

"Kodi!" She shouted quietly as she possibly could. "You're awake!"

"Lea?" Kodi asked, looking at her and his surroundings. "Am I back at your den?"

"Yes, Kodi, you are," Lea replied, examining him. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Kodi said, trying to make himself comfortable for his aching ribs. "It's just my ribs that's hurting me, that's all. What happened? How did I end up back here? And…how long was I out?"

Lea was glad to hear that Kodi was alright; then she answered him,

"After me and Grandma stopped Suka from hurting you more, you past out from you injuries; Grandma examined your wounds and told me to go get Dalila – a wise and wonderful mandrill that knows how to take care of animals who are sick or hurt – and meet her back at the den, while she goes and gets the rest of the pride to carry you back. There, Dalila checks out your wounds and putted some medicine she made herself on you. She then informed us that you're going to be okay – and she told us to watch over you until she returns at sunrise to check on you again. Grandma and I have been watching you, ever since."

Kodi had his eyes wide open after hearing all that; he suddenly remembered that Suka had indeed attacked him, just for calling him by his name. And the young prince was close to killing him, but for some strange reason, he didn't.

"I just have one more question, Lea," He began. "How come…Suka…got mad at me when I called him by his name? Did I do something wrong? Was I not supposed to call him by his name – only by something else?"

Lea looks down at her white paws and sighs.

"No, Kodi," She told him. "You didn't do anything wrong. It's just that…Suka doesn't like to be called by his name from anyone – he only allows Grandma and Father to call him by his name. I can't explain why he doesn't like anybody else calling him that – ever since that…that…"

Tears were forming in her beautiful emerald eyes; she lets them fall on to the ground, and then looks back at Kodi, who was now displaying a look of concern.

"I'm sorry Kodi!" Lea cried, looking down again. "I'm so sorry for not warning you not to call Suka by his name! I don't know why I didn't! That was downright STUPID of me not to tell you! Suka might've left you alone and you'd probably be close to finding your father, if I did!"

As Lea continues to weep, Kodi was now thinking of his father. It's true. He missed the entire day on searching for him, now. Kodi would've been close to looking for him if it weren't for Suka. He now feels infuriated by all of this, but at the same time, he feels sorry for Lea. There's something that's making her emotionally in pain, but it's not just of what her brother did to Kodi – there's something else...

"It's alright, Lea," He said. "I'm fine now – thanks to you and Talu. I wasn't exactly Suka's favorite person to begin with. But I'm really thankful that you and Talu stopped him and took care of me."

"We had to, Kodi," Lea said, now looking at him. "We couldn't just let Suka kill you or leave you out in the jungle. You saved me, remember? And you still need to help your father with helping the king of the Pride Lands. It was the least we could because…you're lucky."

Kodi gave the snow-white lioness another puzzled look.

"You're lucky to have a father that cares about you and everyone else," She explained. "You're lucky that you're able to help your homeland by bringing things to them – things that they need. And…you're lucky to have a home and a family that you're extremely happy to be with. I envy you, Kodi – I really do. For me, I can't do anything without having my grandmother assuring my father that I'm old enough to do it. I can only stand being around my father for so long, because he's cranky all the time – I just have to be away from him. And I can't ever recall my brother having a smile on his face, recently. All of this happened because…because…"

"Because of what happened to your mother, right?" Kodi asked.

Lea's eyes and ears shot up as she stares surprisingly at him. How could he possibly know that?

"I overheard you talking in your sleep, last night," Kodi explained. "It sounded like you were in pain when you were calling for your mom. When you finally woke up, you kept wishing for things to be back to normal and…for your mother, too."

Lea couldn't believe it; Kodi had heard every word she said! And…he was right! Things haven't been the same since then… Figuring there's no point to keep it a secret any longer, Lea decides to Kodi the story of her mother.

"Yes, Kodi," She said. "My mom was killed by a pack of hyenas, a long time ago. Me and Suka were only cubs at the time. We were walking in clear field, heading to the waterhole for a drink, but we got ambush! My mom tried to fight them off, but they were too many of them for her to take on. They eventually brought her down and started eating her. Suka and I watched everything in a small hole our mom put us in for protection, before they attacked her. We watched as they dug their filthy yellow teeth into her beautiful white fur and tearing it out. My mom was screaming in agony; she begged for them to stop, but those monsters just laughed when she did, especially their leader. I could never forget that face – nothing but coldness and evil on that wretched smile of his! And his eyes expressed no soul inside him, at all!

"We wanted to help our mother, but we were just little cubs and too scared to do anything," Lea continued, more tears were falling from her eyes. "The only thing we could do is cry. When they were finally finished, those filthy hyenas laughed even more of what they accomplished and started licking the blood of my mother off their lips. Next thing that happened, I heard some strange noise from far away. I never heard of a sound like that before – it was like an animal cry, but not exactly. I still can't figure out what it is, to this day. Anyway, it got the hyenas' attention, though, and they ran off to where it came from, forgetting that were still in the hole. Suka and I slowly climbed out and went to our mother; we could barely recognize her. All that was left of her was her bones and bits of her flesh. We both started crying even more, until our father and our Uncle Runako found us.

"My father stared at our mother's corps with complete shock and collapses right next to her; I don't think he knew we were there anymore. Uncle Runako had to take us home, while my father stayed and started weeping like a little cub. When we got home, Uncle Runako told the whole pride what happened. Everyone moaned at the lost of my mother; Grandma took me and Suka from my uncle and we both clung to her as she nuzzled and sang to us. I couldn't remember crying so much, that day. We all cried until we finally fell asleep; my father didn't return home until the next day…"

Kodi lowered his head of sadness after hearing everything Lea had told him; it was the sadist story he has ever heard. Now, this explains everything: Why Kora and Suka hate his guts, and why Suka wanted to kill him – it was all because he looks like the _creatures_ that brutally murdered the one they loved! Even though he hasn't met a hyena, Kodi now feels that they're nothing but mindless, cold-blooded killers who take the pleasure on killing animals with no honor at all! Lea let out more tears after she finished telling her story. She looked like a complete wreck, as though all of this happened only yesterday.

"I'm sorry," Kodi said softly. "I really am. My mom has always been there when I needed her. I don't know what I'd do if the same thing were to happen to her; I'd…probably won't be the person I am now…"

Lea tried her very best to stop crying.

"I never…told…a single soul outside of the pride of what happened, that day," She said between sniffs. "I only told you this so you could finally know why my father and my brother are acting the way they are, around you."

"I understand," Kodi said. "So…I guess things were never the same after that, huh?"

Lea shakes her head.

"Things began to change for the worst, after that: My uncle decided to leave the pride to be on his own," She replied. "He says there are too many memories of his sister, here, and wants to get away from them – I've never heard from him again... Suka started growling and biting at the lionesses that called him by his name. He even pounced on me and started biting and clawing me hard when I told him to stop it and I said his name. We were never close like we used to, after that. And my father…he's always angry; my grandmother always had to be sure that he doesn't do anything foolish. It's always been that way, ever since that terrible day…"

Kodi was shocked; he couldn't believe how much Lea had to suffer since her mother's death. It was bad enough that her mother was brutally murdered by crazed monsters, but for everyone else she cared about to change because of that…? No doubt this is too much for her to bear…

"You wouldn't believe how many times I wished and pray that things would return to normal, Kodi," Lea went on, having no idea why she's still telling him all of this. "Almost every single night, I pray to the Great Kings to make everyone happy again. Things used to be so great, here. Me and Suka would always play together and pretend to be mighty adventurers. We always dreamed of seeing other places and seeing other animals. My Uncle Runako was always fun to be with; he would always play with us and we would pretend to be stronger lions and pin him down. My mother would always comfort us, whenever we were scared or sad. She would sing to us when we go to sleep and would always keep us warm at night. And my father used to be a kind and understanding lion; always helping those who are in trouble and would care what me and Suka were doing. Now…all of that is just ancient history… I'm extremely tired of living like this – living in grief and being unhappy! I just want to get away from it all!"

Kodi tried to comfort her as she continues crying.

"I know this won't help," He began. "But I'm really sorry that you have to live like this. I can't ever imagine how it feels to live this way, but I know it must be really hard for you. You deserve to be happy like everybody else, Lea. Don't let the past keep you from controlling your future. This is one of the things my dad taught me: 'Life is like doing a mail run; always keep running; sometimes there would be obstacles in the way and may seem hard to pass at first, but you could get through it if you think of a good strategy. Always look forward and never look back – and before you know it, you've accomplished it and you'll feel very proud of yourself.'"

Lea stops crying and looks at Kodi with astonishment. Kodi just made a slight chuckle.

"That might've sounded cheesy, but that's what keeps me going."

"No…" Lea said. "You're right. I shouldn't let the past control me. It's my life and I want it to be the way I chose it. Thank you so much, Kodi. And…I'm sorry for pouring all of that on you. I don't know what came over me."

"You don't need to apologize," Kodi said. "Like I said before, you had all of your emotions bottled up for so long that it just had to burst out."

Lea giggled.

"Yeah – thank you for listening. I feel a lot lighter than I ever felt in a long time – telling all my feelings to someone that isn't my grandmother."

"No problem," Kodi said. "There's just one thing: I'm sort of confused why your father let me stay here, since he can't stand to look at me."

"Maybe it's because he realized that if it weren't for you, Kodi, I wouldn't be standing here, right now," Lea suggested. "Otherwise, he would've gladly ended your misery."

"Yeah…that might be it." Kodi said with a little laugh.

He then tries to get up, but his ribs started to hurt a lot when he did, keeping him from walking.

"Try not to move, Kodi," Lea said. "You're in pain. Wait till Dalila comes back in the morning. Maybe she'll give you something that'll ease the pain on your ribs."

"Yeah, I hope so," Kodi said, trying to get comfortable again. "I still need to find my father. I already missed another day and I'm not planning on missing a third day – no matter how painful my ribs are."

Lea smiled, thinking how lucky Kodi's father is to have a son like him.

"Hey, by any chance, are you hungry?" She asked.

Just then, a large rumbling noise came from Kodi's stomach, making the husky blush. It's been quite a while since he last ate. Lea giggled and went to fetch the last piece of zebra meat she saved for him.

"I'm not sure what it is you huskies eat, but this is for you," She said when she placed the meat right in front of Kodi. "Hope you like it."

Kodi stares at it; it wasn't something he was fed back at the post office in Nome, but his stomach was telling him to eat it anyway. After saying thanks, he sniffs the meat and finally takes a bite out of it; not exactly what he's used to eating, but he kept on digging into it.

_Good thing there's a little bit of wolf in me. _He thought as he ate.

* * *

**End of chapter. Okay, that's it for Kodi's side, for now. The next chapters will be where I left off with Balto, Kiara, Simba and the rest of the Pride Landers. I would like to thank those who've read and reviewed my story, telling me how much they loved it. I really apprciate every single review I got from you. And I promise the next chapter will be here soon. Thank you!!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey there! Here's the latest chapter! Remember, it's back to where I left off with Balto. Enjoy!**

* * *

Balto was sitting outside of the den of Pride Rock, watching the massive, bright orange sun's rays hit the majestic earth of the magnificent Pride Lands. The hybrid wolf had been up all night with a million thoughts in his mind; he had just remembered how he got to this mysterious land in the first place! A spirit had taken him from his home, telling Balto that his son's kingdom is in need of his help; Balto, being under some sort of trance, had agreed to help and followed the spirit to the outskirts of Nome. Unfortunately, his son, Kodi, happens to be walking by, and saw his father following a spirit. Kodi went after the two of them to find out what the heck's going on, which wouldn't be long: In the middle of the woods, the spirit had somehow opened a portal to another land. 

The spirit then informed Balto that once he's completed the task of helping his son's kingdom from man, he'll return him home. Saying it from his free heart, Balto had promised the spirit that he'll do whatever he can to help, and then he stepped forward into the portal. Kodi had heard everything and ran after his father to stop him from going, which resulted for Kodi to be transferred to the mysterious land, as well.

After that, Balto had no memory of the spirit or how he ended up in the strange land. Next thing he knew was being chased by hungry leopards and hyenas, rescuing a lioness cub from a stampede of wildebeests, taking care of the cub and telling her tales of his past, defending her from the same hungry hyenas he just met the day before, and being pounced on by the cub's father, who happens to be king of this strange land. When he and Kiara told the king and queen their story, they decided to let Balto stay at their home for saving and taking care of their daughter. Right after he fell asleep that night, his dream had showed him how he got here – and, what makes it worse, his son is in this strange land, too; somewhere all by himself…

Balto walks up to the very long tip of the magnificent rock, staring out to the great, clear field of the Pride Lands; he couldn't believe Kodi was dragged here as well; the only thing he could think of right now is finding him, but there's just one problem: Balto does not even know where to start looking. He never once found a trace of his son's scent since he's been in the Pride Lands. Kodi could be anywhere by now. Balto looks down into the land to see if, by any chance, Kodi was there. He scanned the field for ten minuets, making sure he didn't overlook anything. But, unfortunately, there was no sign of Kodi…

Balto let out of sigh of grief.

"Wherever you are, son," He muttered to himself. "I just hope you're alright…"

He then turns around and walks back down – only to stop when he saw the king of the Pride Lands, who was sitting right in front of the den. Simba made a little smirk, while his tail was swinging from side to side.

"You know, you're not suppose to be up there," He said in a kind and firm tone. "Only the king has the right to look down at his kingdom – never a stranger."

"Sorry," Balto said. "It's just…my son is lost and I was hoping to see him in your land, Your Majesty."

"Your child is lost in my kingdom?" Simba asked.

"Yes," Balto replied. "And the sad thing is: I didn't know he was until I had a dream about it, last night. I've been up worrying about him since then."

Simba gave a puzzled look to the mysterious animal. He just barely noticed his son was missing? Then again, the wolfdog _did _say he couldn't remember how he managed to roam into his land. But maybe he does now since he just remembered his son somewhere in the savannah too.

"Does this also mean you know how you stumbled into my kingdom, as well?" Simba asked.

Balto looks at the lion king and nodded.

"I was sent here by someone,"

"By who, and why?"

Before Balto could answer, Nala, Kiara, and the other lionesses had woken up and were exiting the den. Nala walked up to the both of them, with Kiara following her.

"Good morning, Simba," Nala said when she sat next to him and nuzzled his thick crimson mane.

"Morning, Nala," Simba said before they broke apart.

"And good morning to you, too, Balto," Nala said.

Balto smiled and bowed his head to her.

"Good morning, Your Majesty," He said.

"Good morning, Daddy! Good morning, Balto!" Kiara said excitedly as rubbed against her parents' legs and rubbed Balto's, as well.

"So, what is it you two been doing out here?" Nala asked.

"Just talking," Simba replied. "Balto says that he now remembers how he wondered into our kingdom, and he also says his son is lost somewhere."

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry to hear that, Balto," Nala said. "If there's anything we can do…"

"Thank you, Your Highness," Balto said. "But I couldn't ask for your help; I can find him on my own. Thank you for letting me stay in you beautiful home, Your Majesties, but I must leave to go look for my son."

He bowed his head respectfully to Simba and Nala, and made his way down the stone paths. As they watch him go, Kiara looks at her mother and father to see if they're gonna do anything to stop him. Nala looks at her mate with firmness in her eyes.

"He saved our daughter and brought her home," She reminded him. "The least we could do is help him find his son."

Simba looks at her and nodded. The strange animal had risk his life to save Kiara and took her home without asking for anything in return. Simba knows that there's kindness in Balto's heart, but he still doesn't fully trust him. Nonetheless, Simba still owes the kind stranger a great deal of gratitude.

"Balto!" Simba roared out. "Get back here!"

When he heard that, Balto raced back up the stone steps of Pride Rock.

"What is it, Your Majesty?" He asked.

Simba made a smirk.

"Now what kind of king would I be if I don't reward someone who did a great deal for my kingdom?" He asked.

"Oh no, it's okay, Your Highness," Balto assured him. "You really don't have to reward me with anything."

"I'm afraid you have no choice," Simba said. "I'm going to help you search for your son, personally – weather you like it or not."

Balto was completely surprised by this; he never thought the king himself would want to help him. Then, as Balto thinks about it, maybe it's best if the king helps him look for Kodi. After all, the king does know the land _far_ better than him.

"Your Majesty, I-I don't know what to say…but…thank you."

Simba nodded. Nala and Kiara then went nuzzled him.

"You made a wonderful decision, my love," Nala whispered into her mate's ear.

"I knew you would help him, Daddy," Kiara said when she stopped cuddling on his leg. "You're the best!"

Simba chuckled.

"I know I am." He muttered to his daughter.

The rest of Simba's Pride have been watching them the whole time in silence; they, too, thought Simba made an excellent choice of helping the kind stranger look for his son. Soon, two elderly lionesses walked up to the king and queen. Kiara ran to them and started cuddling on their legs; both lionesses giggled and nuzzled their granddaughter back, and then had their attentions on Simba and Nala.

"You made a very wise choice, my son," said Sarabi. "Your father would've made the same decision."

Simba smiled and nuzzled his mother.

"Sarabi's right; King Mufasa would've help anyone who has helped his kingdom," Sarafina said. "Especially if they've rescued his only son from terrible danger."

Then they turned their attentions to the wolfdog. Balto remembered them being the two lionesses who thanked him for saving Kiara, continuously, the day before. Both lionesses bowed their heads respectfully to him.

"I don't believe we've introduced ourselves yet. I am Sarabi: Simba's mother and former queen of the Pride Lands."

"And I am Sarafina: Nala's mother."

"Please to meet you both," Balto said and bowed his head in return.

Both lionesses nodded.

"We're sorry to hear that your son is missing, but don't fret," Sarabi said. "Simba, along with everyone else in the pride, will help you look for him."

"It'll be our way of thanking you for saving our princess," Sarafina said.

Balto nodded and thanked them both; then Sarabi and Sarafina turned back to their children.

"The hunting party is waiting for you, Nala," Sarafina told her daughter. "I think it's about time you go on ahead and lead them."

Nala nodded to her mother and went to nuzzle her mate and daughter.

"Be good to your grandmothers, Kiara," She said. "They're watching you today."

"What!? Does that mean I can't go out and play?" Kiara asked.

"After you disobeyed my orders of staying with Timon and Pumbaa at all times and wondering off from the Pride Lands, you won't be leaving this rock for a long time, young lady." Simba said firmly.

Kiara lowered herself, feeling ashamed; she knew her punishment was coming, sooner or later; she just wishes it didn't came _this_ soon. Just then, Timon and Pumbaa, who both had been listening and watching along with the other lionesses, walked up to the group.

"So what does this mean for us, Simba?" Timon asked. "We finally have the day off of babysitting?"

Simba chuckled and nodded. Both meerkat and warthog jumped for joy for being let off the hook for today.

"C'mon, old buddy, old pal," Timon said to Pumbaa as he climbs on his back. "There's bugs with our names on them, waiting for us!"

"Oh boy! Oh boy!" Pumbaa said excitedly. "I can't wait till I taste those fat, juicy, tasty, slimy bugs!"

"How many times do I have to tell you, Pumbaa?" Timon said in annoyance. "It's the _crunchy _ones that make the meal. Get it? Crunchy!"

"No! It's slimy!" Pumbaa protested.

"Crunchy!"

"Slimy!"

"Crunchy!"

"Slimy!"

And the two bug-loving friends continued arguing as they left Pride Rock; everyone chuckled when those two were out of sight. Nala nuzzled Simba and said good-bye to him, and went to lead the hunting party. Before she followed her grandmothers back to the den, Kiara went and cuddled next to Balto's leg.

"Bye, Balto." She said. "I hope you find your son."

"Me too," Balto replied, nuzzling her. "Be a good girl, Kiara."

The little lioness cub nodded and followed Sarabi and Sarafina to the den. Balto and Simba were the only ones left standing on the long rock; both were staring at eachother, waiting for one to do something. Finally, Simba walked to the stone steps.

"Well, the sooner we search for your son, the sooner we find him," He said. "Shall we get going?"

"Yeah," Balto replied.

The wolfdog followed the lion king down the stone steps onto the beautiful green field of grass; from there, they started walking, side by side.

"Do you have any trace of where your son might be?" Simba asked.

"No," Balto replied. "I haven't sniffed even a faint scent of him, since I've been here."

"Okay…" Simba said, trying to think of where they should start searching. "How about we go the same route I take when I go out patrolling? We'll ask the other Pride Landers if they've seen your son – and if they have, we'll find him in no time."

Balto nodded to that idea; he's only been in the Pride Lands for two day, barely enough to know where everything is. So, he's really glad the king (who knows where every rock and tree is located) is helping him. Balto and Simba walked the path where the lion king usually walks, asking animals who they come by if they've seen Kodi. It was nearly midday when Balto was describing his son to a family of giraffes (after he was stunned by how long their necks were) and asked if they seen him. Unfortunately, just like everybody else Simba and Balto have already questioned, they said no.

"Thank you for your time," Simba said. "You may carry on."

"We're terribly sorry we weren't of any help, stranger," said a female giraffe that lowered her great, long neck to Balto's eye-level, facing him. "But we'll let you know if we see him."

"Thank you," Balto said.

"Our pleasure," said the giraffe. "You've rescued the princess and brought her back to her home, so it's only fair they we help you search for your son."

Balto nodded.

"Your Majesty," the giraffe said when she and rest of her family bowed their heads to Simba.

After that, Simba and Balto walked on. They both stopped at the waterhole to take a quick drank from searching all morning. Balto looked up into the sky and sighed.

"Where could Kodi be?" He muttered to himself. "Is he even here at all? He has to be. I _did_ see him following me into that portal. Perhaps…Kodi's somewhere else? But where?"

After finish drinking, Simba looks at the wolfdog who looked really down.

"Hey, we'll find him soon," He said. "Wherever he is, I'm sure he's bound to show up."

"Thanks for the support, Your Highness," Balto said, looking at him. "But I can't help worrying about my son. He's been on his own for two whole days in lands he's not familiar with. I just hope he's fine and safe."

Simba could see the concern in Balto's golden brown eyes. It was the same exact look a parent gives when they're worried about their child – the same look Simba gives when he thinks his daughter is in trouble.

"C'mon, let's keep looking," Simba told Balto. "We still have many miles to go."

Balto nodded. Just as they were about to leave, Zazu dove down from the sky and landed right in front of Simba and Balto.

"Good afternoon, Sire," said the faithful majordomo hornbill with a bow.

"Good afternoon, Zazu," Simba said.

"Incredibly sorry that I'm late for bringing you this morning's report," Zazu said. "A big mess with the elephants and zebras again; they delayed me from my duties, just to ask me who owns the bigger half of the waterhole. Oh, it was a mess…"

"I presume it's all settled now, is it, Zazu?" Simba asked kindly.

"Oh, yes, sire," Zazu replied. "It was no fly on a clear day – as I already informed you – but I managed to get them both to have an equal share of the waterhole."

Simba nodded.

"I wouldn't expect any less from you." He said.

"Thank you, sire," Zazu said, bowing to him once again. "Now, may I ask how Princess Kiara is doing?"

"She's fine, thanks to this kind stranger, behind me." Simba replied, pointing his head to Balto.

Zazu had finally noticed the wolfdog had been sitting there the whole time in silence. He was a bit shocked of seeing the new stranger to the Pride Lands, but he kept his cool since the king seems to trust him.

"Zazu, I'd like you to meet Balto – the one who rescued and brought my daughter home," Simba introduced them both. "Balto, this is Zazu – my majordomo and very good friend."

"Pleasure to meet you, sir," Zazu said.

"Like wise," Balto said.

"I remember seeing you fighting some hyenas I know personally, yesterday," Zazu said. "From what I saw, it looked like you were murdering them! I even saw Princess Kiara lying on the ground, unconscious, from the looks of it. You sure she's all right?"

"Yes, she is. While I was taking Kiara home, we got ambushed by those three hyenas," Balto explained. "Kiara tried to help me fight them off by clawing on of the hyena's head. Unfortunately, the hyena shook her off, causing her to hit the ground hard. I grew with rage and started attacking them fiercely. Soon, they gave up and begged me to stop. I did, and told them to leave. When they were gone, I went to check on Kiara. Thankfully, she was alright; she soon woke up and…a few seconds later…I got pounced by His Majesty…"

Simba chuckled in that last part. Zazu, however, was shocked when Balto finished explaining, but soon let out a sigh of relief.

"The princess isn't badly hurt, is she?" He asked again.

"No, she's fine, Zazu, really," Simba assured. "Even though that was irresponsible for her to help fight the hyenas, but she's okay, nonetheless."

"That's good to hear," Zazu said; then he returned his attention to Balto. "Thank you, sir, for helping the princess and returning her home. You have no idea how much grief the king and queen, along with the rest of the kingdom – meself included – felt when she went missing. We are all in your debt."

Balto nodded.

"My pleasure," He said.

"So, what have you been up to, Your Majesty?" Zazu asked, turning his attention once again to Simba.

"Well, it seems that Balto's son is missing," Simba replied. "As my way of returning the favor, I'm going to help him find his son – and figure out how they wondered into my kingdom and why."

"Oh dear," Zazu said. "That's too bad. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"As a matter of fact, Zazu," Balto said, having an idea in his head. "You can. Could you scout the entire area to see if my son's around here? That is, if you don't mind me asking him, of course, Your Majesty." He added when he realized that Zazu's the _king's_ majordomo.

"Not at all," Simba replied; then spoke to Zazu. "Go and scout the Pride Lands for his son. If you find him, lead him to Pride Rock, and go search for us."

"Of course, Your Majesty," Zazu said. "But first, what does he look like, and what's his name?"

"He has red fur on his upper body, white fur on his muzzle, paws and lower body, and has brown eyes." Balto explained. "He's about my height, and his name is Kodi."

"Okay, got it," Zazu said after repeating the description a couple of times. "I'll be heading off now."

Making one last bow to both Simba and Balto, Zazu opened his wings and flew up into the air.

"Wait, Zazu," Balto called out. "Before you go, if you find Kodi, please tell him that I'm fine and not to worry about me."

The blue hornbill nodded.

"Will do, sir," He said.

With that said, Zazu was off to search for missing Kodi up in the sky. Balto and Simba continued their search on the ground; they've asked more and more animals if they've seen the lost canine. And still, nobody said they have seen him. Soon, Balto and Simba's search led them to the valley where Balto had rescued Kiara. Painful memories started flowing into Simba's mind; he dreaded coming back to the place where he witnessed his father falling to his death, but there's nowhere else in the Pride Lands to search. Balto was sniffing for his son's scent to see if he's been here, but, sadly, no luck.

Balto sighed once again.

"It looks like he's not here, either," He said. "That must mean he isn't anywhere near the Pride Lands. So, where could he possibly be?"

"I wish I knew, Balto," Simba said. "Let's head back to Pride Rock; it's almost nightfall. We'll continue our search in the morning."

Balto didn't want to rest while his son is lost in an unknown land. He could be hurt…or even worst! Balto tries not to think that way.

_Kodi's a big boy; he can take care of himself,_ He thought. _He's used to being out in the wilderness. But still, he's in whole _new _wilderness, now; more like a whole new _world_! Wherever he is, I could only hope he's doing alright. Kodi, I'm sorry you got involved in this…_

With one last glance at the valley, Balto followed the lion king back to Pride Rock. The sun was indeed setting; twilight has now spread throughout the sky. It wouldn't be long till the beautiful stars are shown in the cool, night's sky. Balto couldn't believe that he spent the entire day looking for Kodi; and yet, he couldn't even find a small trace of him.

"Thank you for helping me on my search, Your Majesty," He said. "I really appreciate it."

"…Don't mention it." Simba replied simply, not bothering to look back at him.

As they walked, Simba stopped and stared at a tree he was all too familiar with; the memory of him clinging on to it, and screaming for his life while the wildebeests were charging past the wobbling tree was locked in his head. Balto noticed him staring at it.

"Are you okay, Your Majesty?" He asked with concern.

Simba let a sigh.

"I'm fine," He replied, finally looking at the wolfdog. "It's just…nothing. Let's keep going."

And without another word, Simba started walking out of the valley; with only a puzzled look on his face, Balto went and followed him. They continued on back to the Pride Lands. Simba and Balto remained silent as they walked. When they were close to exiting the valley, Simba stopped in his tracks; he was thinking of a question he wanted to ask Balto, but wasn't sure if he should; he might not like the answer.

"Something wrong, Your Majesty?" Balto asked when he noticed that Simba stopped, all of a sudden.

The king looks at the concern wolfdog; finally, he decides to ask him the question.

"Tell me, Balto," Simba began. "Where was it that you've my daughter again?"

Balto grew puzzled, but answered him.

"It was here in this valley," He replied. "I was on top of the cliff when I heard a cry for help. Down below, I saw Kiara clinging on to a tree as hundreds of wildebeests were charging by. Without even once thinking about what could happen to me, I jump down there and managed to grab hold of her and got out of there before she got stumped by their hooves."

Simba's eyes were completely wide open when heard all that. The same incident he went through ages ago had happen to his daughter too?

"She was hanging on to a tree?" He asked.

"Yes," Balto replied. "In fact, I think it's same tree you were staring at earlier, Your Majesty."

Simba had his eyes and mouth wide open; was fate trying to make his daughter go through the same horrible situation he's been through?

"…And you didn't even _think_ that you could get yourself killed while attempting to save her?" He asked.

"Like I said before, no," Balto replied. "She was in danger, so I couldn't just ignore her cry for help; I don't let my fears control me easily when it comes to helping someone."

Simba was taken by surprise. He couldn't believe a stranger, let alone a mysterious newcomer, would risk being trampled to death by hundreds of freaked-out wildebeests to save a little cub he didn't even know. And to make it even more surprising, the wolfdog had saved his daughter at the _exact_ tree where he was clinging on to many years ago, waiting for his father to rescue him, but he couldn't rescue himself after he brought Simba to safety. Fate could be such a funny thing…

"Listen, Balto," Simba began. "I never actually thanked you properly for all that you've done. Thank you…for saving my daughter, taking good care of her, and willing to take her home. I…I don't know what I would've done if anything terrible were to happen to her."

Balto nodded.

"You're welcome, Your Majesty," He said. "I'm just thankful that I was there to save her before she lost her grip on that tree."

Simba stared deep into Balto's golden-brown eyes; they showed nothing but truth and kindness of what he just said. Simba was now starting to believe that there isn't anything dangerous about the strange newcomer. But…he has to be sure.

"Say, Balto," He said. "Would you like it if we take a walk around the Pride Lands so we'd get to know eachother a lot better?"

Balto smiled.

"I'd really like that." He replied.

They both walked out of the valley, on their way back to the Pride Lands. None of them said a word to eachother; both were trying to think of what they should talk about. Finally, Simba thought of something.

"So, how was my daughter while she was with you?" He asked as they kept walking.

"She was good, Your Majesty," Balto replied. "At first, she was a little scared of me, but she warmed up to me when she knew she wasn't in any danger."

"Was she well behaved?"

"Yes," Balto replied. "A little headstrong here and there, but she was a good girl." He made a chuckle. "There were times when she kind of reminds me of _my_ daughter."

"You have a daughter too?" Simba asked, surprised.

"Yeah," Balto replied. "I have six children to be exact: three boys and three girls. All of them are grown up now and living their own lives. Anyway, Kiara reminding me so much of my daughter, Aleu, when she was her age: Always wants to go and play, enjoys being free, and – with all do respect – a bit stubborn and mischief at times."

Simba laughed at that.

"I take it your daughter was a paw-full, as well," He said.

"Yeah," Balto said, chuckling. "All of my children were. When they were pups, they were all over me like buzzards; it's amazing that my ears are still intact after being chewed on by teething little scamps, every single day."

Simba laughed again.

"I know what you mean," He said. "I may not have to deal with six cubs, but believe me, I couldn't wait till Kiara was out of the teething stage. My mother would laugh and tell me that I was as bad as her when she was chewing my ear. She said my father thought he'd lose his ears at the rate I'm going."

It was Balto's turn to laugh. He was relieved that the king was talking to him; this was their first conversation they've had since he "met" him.

"I'm just thankful that those days are over," Balto said.

"Ditto," Simba said.

Soon, Simba and Balto started talking about themselves as they continued walking around the Pride Lands, while it's still twilight. Simba was telling Balto about his cub-hood: He told the wolfdog about when he and his father, Mufasa, would spend lots of time together, playing, learning ways of how to catch prey, and talking about things he needed to know when he's king. Simba even told Balto the number of times he and Nala played pranks on Zazu – even how they managed to get away from the majordomo when they wanted to go to the Elephant Graveyard.

"You should've seen the look on his face," He told Balto, acting like his cub-self again. "Zazu was completely freaked out when that rhino squashed him. It was a classic."

Balto chuckled, having the song: _"I just can't wait to be king" _stuck in his head.

"Sounds like were quite the troublemaker," He said.

"I sure was," Simba said, thinking of the good memories when he was a cub. "It was such a simple time, back in those days…"

He then lowered his head and sighed.

"Your Majesty…?" Balto asked, concerned. "You all right?"

Simba lefts up his head and looks back at Balto; clearly, he almost forgot that the wolfdog was standing right next to him.

"I'm fine," Simba said. "I'm just…thinking of something… So, I think that's enough about me. I'd like to hear about you."

"Well, my pup-hood isn't anywhere near yours, unfortunately," Balto explained. "My father died before I was born, and I lost my mother when I was only a few weeks old. So I didn't know my family history, learn how to hunt prey from my old man, or who was the alpha of my pack."

"Oh…I'm really sorry to bring that up to you, Balto," Simba said, awkwardly.

"It's all right," Balto said. "I've learn to let that go, a long time ago. Anyway…"

He then began telling Simba basically everything he has already told Kiara; Simba couldn't help but notice that they have a few things in common: Lost of loved ones in a young age, found and raised by a couple of misfits, and trying to find their place in the world.

"…that's where I found the love of my life," Balto said, while he was explaining what he did when first went to Nome. "After I left, I went back to the boat and treated my wounds. I couldn't stop thinking about her, since then. Only one thing remained inside my mind: Jenna. That's when I decided to make Nome my home – so I could be near her…"

"That's quite a tale," Simba said. "It must've been terrible that almost everyone despised you, just because of your…different."

"Yeah…" Balto said. "It sure was. All of the dogs continued to make fun of me, and the humans would throw things at me and shoo me away. But I stayed there just so I could be around Jenna, and, hopefully, be in a dog-sled race. I've had a craving to be in a race, since the first time I saw one. Old Boris would keep telling me that nobody would put me in a race, and to stop living in the clouds."

Simba chuckled.

"It sounds like he's very protective towards you," He said.

"He sure is," Balto said. "He's the closest thing I have to a father. Boris may be a pain sometimes, but he always there when I need him – and I'm grateful for that."

Simba looks up into the sky, knowing that his father is watching him from the heavens.

"…Like how grateful I was when I had Timon and Pumbaa to take care of me, and told me about 'Hukuna Matata' when I thought my past would forever haunt me." He muttered to himself.

"Excuse me?" Balto asked. "Did you say something, Your Majesty?"

Simba looks back at Balto and sighs.

"Listen, Balto," He began. "You're not the only one who's had a rough cub-hood."

"What do you mean?" Balto said, puzzled. "I thought you had a great cub-hood."

"It started out that way, but…it didn't last long. Soon, some horrible things happened, which changed my life forever."

"What happened?"

"Have I told you about my uncle, Scar?"

"No."

"Okay, well, before I was born, my uncle, Scar, was going to be the next heir to the kingdom when my father stood down as king," Simba explained. "Scar couldn't wait for his brother to stand down and give him the throne, but he was gonna have to wait even longer, unfortunately. When I was born, my father made me the next heir to the Pride Lands; Scar couldn't handle the fact that he has to wait for _me_ to stand down and hand over the throne to him. So, he made an alliance with the hyenas, telling them if they help him kill me and my father, he'd let them live in the Pride Lands and the lionesses would catch food for them.

"My father had banish the hyenas from the Pride Lands for their treachery ways; so they automatically said 'yes' to Scar. Scar then made a plan on how to get rid of me and my father: He'd have me wait in the valley – the one where you saved my daughter – and told me that my father has a surprise for me there. Me, being young and foolish back then, believed him and waited for my father to come. While I was waiting, I saw a lizard passing by me. I wanted to prove to my father that I can make powerful roars; so I started practicing on it. Eventually, I made one big roar that echoed throughout the valley, which I thought, caused a stampede of wildebeests to run out of the valley.

"I was terrified by the sight of those big and tall beasts, coming towards me. Not even thinking of what I was doing, I ran for my life, away from the stampede; many of them were gaining on me since I was so small and they were so big. Soon, I caught a glimpse of a tree – I'm not sure if it's the one you saved Kiara from, but if it is, fate can be very strange… Anyway, I raced and grabbed hold of the tree and climbed onto the top of it; it kept me from being stumped on by the wildebeests' hooves, but I couldn't hold on for long. Just then, I saw Zazu flying to me; he said my father was coming to rescue me. I continued to hold on until my father got me out of the stampede.

"Soon, I saw my father trying to reach me through the wild wildebeest; suddenly, one wildebeest hit the tree, causing it to break and sending me flying. Thankfully, my father caught me and then took me out of the stampede. Just when I thought it was over, my father got dragged back into stampede; I started searching desperately for him. Soon, I saw my father jumped out of there and grabbed hold of the cliff. Badly hurt, he managed to climb his way up. I started racing up the cliff to meet him. But, sadly…my father fell down…right to his death… His body had been crushed by the wildebeests…"

When he stopped, Simba looks down at his paws with tears slowly coming out from his eyes. Even after all those years, it still hurts him of what had happen to his father, that day. Balto was lost for words. It was unbelievable of what this lion in front of him had gone through. He didn't know what it was like to see his own parents die right in front of him – especially if it's from his own uncle.

"I'm really sorry about your father, Your Majesty," Balto finally said. "I can't imagine how it must feel to know that your uncle had planned this."

Simba wiped off his tears with his paw and spoke once more.

"Scar had planned out everything: He told the hyenas to go and scare the wildebeests to the valley where I was at," Simba went on. "And when my father was almost to the top of cliff, Scar was there; instead of helping him…Scar betrayed and murdered his brother! My father – the _true_ king of the Pride Lands!

"Unfortunately, I thought _I_ was the one who murdered my father: I thought the loud roar I made caused the wildebeest to panic and started the stampede. When Scar saw me next to my father's body, he told me that everyone would now think of me as a murderer. I was scared. I thought nobody would believe it was an accident. So I…I…"

"…You had to run away from the Pride Lands." Balto finished for him.

Simba nodded.

"Scar said it was the best thing to do. Without hesitation, I ran off, never to return to the place I once called home…or so I thought at the time…."

Simba and Balto stopped walking and rested in a nice, cool, green field of grass. The sun was barely in sight now.

"So what happened after you ran away?" Balto asked.

"I was found by Timon and Pumbaa," Simba replied. "When I told them I couldn't go back to the Pride Lands, they took me in and taught me the importance of Hukuna Matata."

"Hukuna Ma-what?" Balto asked.

Simba laughed.

"Hukuna Matata," He replied. "It means: 'No worries'. They both taught me how to live a carefree life and to put the past behind me. Right then, I lived my life the way I wanted it be and shoved all my memories of being a prince, aside. For many years, I was happy and free, but it wasn't until Nala found me that I knew I still had a responsibility to my kingdom…"

He continued on the rest of his amazing tale to Balto, who had been listening to him the whole time, almost forgetting why he and the lion king were out in the Pride Lands in the first place.

"…and once I defeated Scar, all the hyenas disappeared back into the Elephant Graveyard, and I was crowned king." Simba explained. "Since then, I made sure my kingdom was safe and sound – almost the same way my father made it."

"Wow… That was an amazing story," Balto said. "I'm really glad you've discovered the truth of the one who's responsible for your father's death and your grief, after all those years. It just pains me that it was your own uncle that did it."

"Yeah, it pains me, too," Simba said in low voice. "Scar just couldn't keep the darkness from controlling him, but it was _that_ what truly destroyed him in the end."

"Well, I'm glad things have finally worked out for all of you, Your Majesty," Balto said. "You've become what you're destined to be: To rule over the land your father has worked so hard for."

Simba nodded.

"Do you know why I told you this?" He asked.

"No, Your Majesty,"

"You've saved my daughter from the same worst-case scenario I've been through," Simba said. "Without even thinking of what might happen to you, you went and rescued Kiara the same way my father attempted to do for me. I never would've imagined a stranger, let alone a newcomer, would do such a heroic thing like that. I'm really grateful for that, Balto – thank you."

Balto smiled and nodded.

"You're welcome, Your Majesty," He said. "Like I said before, I'm just glad I was there to help her."

From hearing those words again, Simba now fully trusts Balto. He didn't know how the wolfdog did it; Balto just somehow had his way of gaining people's trust, not only for the brave and heroic deed he did, but for also having a warm heart.

It was now Balto's turn to tell his tale to Simba of how he saved all the children in Nome by bringing back the dog-sled team that was carrying the medicine; he explains about his struggles, his quick thinking, his faith in himself, and his instincts that got the medicine to Nome on time.

"…and since then, nobody was afraid of me and no dog has ever made fun or hurt me again," He concluded. "I was free to roam around streets and be greeted by everyone in town; Jenna and I soon became mates, after that. I am now known as the hero of Nome – and I finally felt that I truly found my place."

"That was very courageous of you, Balto," Simba said. "To go out and search for a missing team, and bring them back to your homeland and saved many lives; I never heard such a heroic tale."

"Thank you, Your Majesty,"

"But there's one thing I don't get," Simba said. "How come you risked your life just to save a place roamed with 'humans' who don't even like you?"

"Well, there was this one human," Balto began. "A little girl named Rosy, Jenna's owner, she was the only human that was nice to me and wasn't afraid of me – _that_ made a big difference to me, Your Majesty. She wasn't scared, just because I'm part wolf; she was willing to let me play with her and Jenna, until her father came and shooed me away. Rosy was one of the reasons that made me wanna help bring back the medicine; I wanted her to be better. And when I did bring the medicine to Nome and after the doctors gave the medicine to her, Rosy hugged me and said she'd be lost without me – I never felt more proud of myself in my entire life, since then."

"You really are a true hero, Balto," Simba said. "You saved many lives without even worrying about yours during the progress, and most important, you saved my daughter's life. You're one of a kind, and I'm sorry I didn't see that earlier."

"Thank you, Your –"

"Please," Simba interrupted kindly with his right paw raised up. "Call me 'Simba'."

Balto was taken by surprise. He didn't think the lion king would ever allow him to call him by his true name, but was really pleased with this; being able to say the king's true name meant that the king now fully trusts him.

"Thank you…Simba."

Simba nodded.

"We better start heading back to Pride Rock now," He said, getting up and stretching himself. "It's getting late, and I'm sure Nala and the other lionesses have brought home dinner already. And I'm also sure that Zazu is waiting for us there, too; he'll tell us if he's found any leads to your son."

"I hope he has," Balto said when he was up as well. "My son's been out all alone for three days, already."

"Only one way to find out," Simba said. "Come on; let's get going."

With that said, they both started walking their way back to Pride Rock. Nightfall had been displayed in the sky for quite some time now; Simba and Balto had been in conversation with eachother, longer than they possibly thought they would.

As they walked, Balto was thinking of not only his missing son, but also for Jenna, Boris, Rosy, and everybody else in Nome. He didn't get a chance to say good-bye to any of them; they're all probably worried sick about him and Kodi by now. Balto could already see Jenna waking up and realizing that he wasn't resting with her; she'd go out searching the whole town, asking everyone if they've seen him and they'd say they haven't. It wouldn't be long till Jenna sees Kodi's friends and team members; they'd be telling her they haven't Kodi either, which would make Jenna even more worried. She then would decide to check out Balto's boat to see if her mate and son were there. Once she hears Boris and Stella saying they haven't seen either of them, Jenna would be asking them questions like: "Did they say they're going for a walk out in the forest?" or "Did Balto say that he's out on another journey and Kodi went with him?" or "You sure you haven't heard any news that he and Kodi are going somewhere and they forgot to tell me?".

Balto could then see Jenna having everyone in Nome help her search for him and Kodi. Balto tried not to imagine his mate crying when they couldn't find any leads to where they are. Soon, Balto started thinking of Kodi again. Even though his son is all grown up and has proved that he can take care of himself, it was Balto's natural concern for being a father that's keeping him worried. The wolfdog then looks at the silent lion king in front of him as they continued their destination toward Pride Rock.

"Thanks again for helping me search for my son," Balto said. "I really appreciate your help, Simba."

"Not a problem," Simba replied. "We'll continue our search again, early tomorrow morning."

"Okay," Balto said. "And Simba – thank you for giving me your trust; letting me say your name proves that you trust me now."

The golden lion king looks back at the brown and gray wolfdog and nodded.

"You've proven yourself to be trustworthy, Balto," He said. "Not only for rescuing my daughter and all children in your homeland – which I know your telling the truth about that – there's something else about you that proves to me that I can trust you; and, I can assure you, that doesn't happen to me very often. As long as you don't do anything to hurt me, my family, or my kingdom, you'll have my full trust."

Balto nodded.

"Thank you, sir,"

"And, one other thing," Simba said. "When we were talking about ourselves, did you notice we had quite a few things in common?"

"I sure did," Balto replied. "I never would've guessed our pasts could be so similar. The one main difference we have is that you're the king of your homeland; me, I'm just the hero of mine – but I'm happy with that title, and wouldn't change it for anything."

Simba nodded.

_BANG!!!_

Balto and Simba jumped. Birds started flying out of the trees that they were resting in; antelopes and zebras ran off, scared; other animal that were sleeping, work up shocked; they just heard a loud noise from a far off distance.

"What was that!?" Simba asked. "What was that noise!?"

Balto remained silent before he could answer. He knew what that sound was, all right; he's heard it many times, back in Nome.

_BANG!!!_

The loud noise came again, everyone started running franticly away when they heard it again, except for Simba and Balto. Simba was looking at Balto, who seemed like knew something he didn't.

"Don't suppose you know what that sound is, do you?" He asked Balto.

Balto just looks at Simba.

"Quick, we need to get back to Pride Rock," Balto said, a little scared. "I might finally understand why I was brought here – and I think I know who it was that summoned me."

* * *

**End of chapter. Sorry to leave it as a cliffhanger. I figure it'd be best if Simba and Balto should know eachother's past, before anything serious happens. Reviews are always welcome.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey there! Here's the next chapter. In this one, I'll just say that something bad is going to happen to our favorite character. Hope you enjoy. I kept rewriting this chapter over and over again until I thought it was good enough.**

* * *

Simba could see a little bit of fear in Balto's golden brown eyes: Something serious is going on, and no doubt it has to do with those strange loud noises they just heard. Another loud _bang_ was heard and even more animals started running in fear; all of them were headed toward Pride Rock in hope their king knows what to make of those strange sounds. Simba looks back at the wolfdog after seeing a herd of zebras running past them. 

"What do you know of those noises?" He asked firmly. "And who do you think it is that summoned you here?"

"There's no time," Balto replied quickly. "I'll explain everything once we get back to Pride Rock."

Then he ran off to where everybody else is going, with Simba catching up to him. The wolfdog had realized that Simba didn't know what he's soon to be up against since he's never heard the sound of a gunshot before, which also made Balto think back to when the spirit orb had told him that its son's kingdom would soon be in danger by man. The spirit ball knew that Simba and his entire pride wouldn't stand a chance against the two-legged creatures that carry strange and powerful weapons they've never seen before, and set up traps nearly throughout the land that the animals have never come across with and won't be able to see, and use lots of dirty tricks to catch their prey. That's why the mighty spirit of the former Great King of the Pride Lands has summoned the brave wolfdog, Balto. The canine hero of Nome knows practically everything about human hunters and their tricks to hunt down prey; so he'll know what to do when worst comes to shove. However, Balto doesn't know what type of humans they'll soon be dealing with; so he needs to find out and fast. But first, he must inform this to everyone back at Pride Rock.

Simba and Balto were getting closer to the huge, majestic rock. They could see that many animals of the savannah were already there, staring up at the tip of the peak, waiting for King Simba to tell them what those loud noises are, and if they should be concerned about it. As they continued running, Balto was still thinking of what the spirit orb had said to him: it stated that once he's helped his son rid the men who wish to do great harm to the kingdom, the floating spirit would return Balto back to his home – but…what about Kodi? His son is still lost in these new lands somewhere!

Balto tires not to think of that.

_I'll worry about that later,_ He thought. _Right now, I've got to help Simba protect his kingdom. If I'm not mistaken, it's the spirit of his father, Mufasa, who has brought me here. Well, I may not have been fully myself at the time, but I _did_ promise him that I'll help Simba stop the bad men, and I intend to keep it._

Simba was now growing more concern of the situation once he saw a lot of the Pride Landers standing in front of his home, looking scared and confused. He and the wolfdog were making their way through the big crowd, all the way to the stone steps of Pride Rock. Up there, Simba saw that Nala, Kiara, Timon, Pumbaa, and the rest of his pride were waiting for him. Nala went up to her mate with a worried look.

"Did you hear it?" She asked. "The strange loud sound that came a little while ago?"

"Yes, I did, Nala," Simba replied. "I heard it more than once."

"I did, too, Daddy," Kiara said. "It scared me half to death. I've never heard such a scary sound like that before."

"Boy, it scared us too," Timon said. "I nearly jumped out of my own skin. And Pumbaa – he…let's just say the noise scared a few things out of him." He added, shaking his head.

Pumbaa blushed.

"Where's Zazu?" Simba asked, searching for the major domo. "Has he arrived yet?"

"No, I'm afraid he hasn't, Simba," Nala replied. "I haven't seen Zazu since this morning. Do you think he's alright?"

Simba remembers telling his old friend and mentor to go and search for Balto's missing son and bring him to Pride Rock, and then report back to the Lion King. He tries to think where Zazu could possibly be right now. Knowing him all too well, Simba figured that Zazu had heard the strange and loud noises too, and would've flown straight back to Pride Rock, telling His Majesty about it; Simba would've then tell the major domo to carefully search for the source of the loud noise and report back to him. But the fact is that Zazu is not here at the moment, and Simba is starting to worry.

"I'm not sure, Nala," He replied, "we could only hope he is. Right now, we need to focus on those strange noises."

"What could it be, Simba?" Nala said in a bit of a worried tone. "I've never heard a sound like that before. Could it be some sort of cry of a strange animal?"

"No, it's not an animal cry," Balto said out loud. "The noise you all heard didn't come from any animal at all."

All eyes from Simba's Pride (including Timon and Pumbaa) were now staring at Balto

"So what is it, then?" Simba said. "You seem to know a lot about that strange noise more than any of us, Balto. Would you mind explaining it to us?"

"Do you really know what that loud noise is, Balto?" Kiara asked, curiously. "Do you know what caused that noise that scared me half to death?"

Everyone stared at the wolfdog in silence, waiting for him to answer. Balto was trying to think of the right way to explain the situation to the lion pride. By the sounds of it, it seems that the Pride Landers have never been hunted by humans before. In that case, they've probably never even _seen_ a human before – and Balto knows that Simba is one of them: when the wolfdog was explaining his heroic tale to the Lion King a little while ago, Simba kept asking Balto what humans are, what do they look like, and what do they normally do. It took a while, but Balto managed to give him a _little_ clear picture of humans. But now, Balto has to tell the lion pride how humans work when it comes to hunting or…poaching…

Taking a deep breath, the wolfdog began to explain.

"That sound all of you have just heard," He began, "is the sound from a rifle firing."

All the lions, and Timon and Pumbaa, shared a greatly puzzled stare at Balto. A rifle? What's that? When seeing their gazes, Balto continued.

"A rifle is a long, metal thing humans use to hunt prey – now; I'll go into full detail of what a human is, another time. But I'll just say right now that humans are _far_ different than any of us. Humans don't have natural ways of killing prey like we do; they don't have long, sharp claws and fangs to bring down prey, and they can't run as fast as you lions can; they have to use their minds in order to catch and kill prey: they first used long, sharp sticks to stab their prey, soon they made bows and arrows to kill prey that are a lot bigger than them at a safe distance, which later on, humans have come up with the rifle.

"Rifles are the worst and by far the dangerous thing to be dealing with: when a human aims the rifle at you and pulls the trigger, it'll shoot out a thing called a bullet that could pierce right through the body, destroying whatever's inside that's in its way, killing you possibly in an instant or very slowly, depending where the human aimed his rifle at. So whenever a rifle is fired, it'll make a loud noise – the same exact noise you all just heard – the loud noise means the rifle had just unleashed the bullet, meaning the human had just shot something. And once the human had just killed his prey, he'll take it to his home to either use it for food – like what we all do when we go out to hunt – but…there some humans who use their rifles to cause trouble by killing animals, just for the heck of it…"

When Balto finally finished explaining, Simba and the others were left speechless. The Lion King was still confused on what the strange animal had told them; he did explain the cause of the loud noises, but his explanation had just opened up more questions. Lots of questions! Does this mean the Pride Lands is now in danger by those humans and their rifles? Do they hunt and kill animals on sight? How many humans are there when they hunt? When humans hunt herds, do they only kill the weak animals or the ones they need to survive, and let the rest of the herd go? And, more importantly, will the humans walk into the Pride Lands very soon? Those are just some of the questions Simba is thinking of; the rest of his pride were thinking the same thing, except they all had one big question out of all the rest: What _exactly_ is a human?

Balto could see that each and every single one of the felines had the same puzzled and worried expression on their faces. Young Kiara looked far more confused and scared from all of this, far more than everybody else; Balto could also see that Timon and Pumbaa were frightened by being cornered by humans and being shot by their rifles. Everyone now feels that their in danger by the humans.

Finally, Simba had a question to ask the wolfdog.

"So, Balto, about these humans," He began in a little strong tone. "…Does my kingdom feel threatened by them and their rifles?"

Balto wasn't sure how to answer him. He doesn't know exactly how many humans there are, and what their exact purpose is to hunt in these beautiful lands, but the wolfdog soon recalled the floating spirit orb telling him that lots of hunters are coming, carrying lots of traps, guns and ammo along with them. So it must mean the Pride Lands _are_ in danger, he doesn't wanna jump to conclusion just yet: the humans might not even come to the Pride Lands; the gunshots they've just heard, earlier, came from a really far-off distance, meaning the human hunters were miles away from the Pride Lands. After hunting whatever prey they could get in that area, the humans could possibly either got back to where they came from, or move on to another hunting ground that is not anywhere near the Pride Lands, Balto thought. However, there are no guarantees the humans would make either of those choices; and even though he doesn't know what those humans are like here, past experience has taught Balto that humans would most likely come to the Pride Lands and hunt down every animal they see.

Simba was growing inpatient when Balto still hasn't answered him. The Lion King could feel a low growl in his throat, rising higher to the wolfdog in front of him.

"Is my kingdom threatened by these humans or not!?" He asked again, angrily.

Balto snapped out of his train of thought.

"I'm not sure," He finally answered in a low voice. "The only way to find out is for me to locate the human hunters, and see what they're planning."

"Are you sure that's a wise thing to do?" Nala said. "After hearing everything you said about the humans and what they use to hunt prey, Balto, I don't think I'd wanna be anywhere near them."

"Me neither," Kiara said. "I'd be too scared to be around those things that shoot out other things and make a hole in your body."

"Don't worry about me, Your Highnesses," Balto assured them both. "I've dealt with human hunters before. I don't think even here in this new land would be any different."

"Well, in that case, I'm going with you," Simba announced.

"What!?" Balto, Nala, Kiara, Timon, and Pumbaa shouted in unison.

"This is my kingdom, and it's my duty as king to protect it and everyone who lives here from all kinds of danger," Simba stated clearly. "And these human hunters will be trespassing if they set foot in my lands without my permission. So, if I go with Balto, we could both explain to the humans that they should not enter the Pride Lands, and try to reason with them if they don't cooperate at first. We could tell them that Balto has saved their children from a dreaded illness; that should convince the human hunters not to enter the Pride Lands, if Balto tells them not to. Do you think they'll listen to that, Balto?"

Balto was completely lost for words after hearing Simba's plan. It sounded like a good plan, and yet, a stupid one at that. This is definitely the first time the Pride Landers have heard about humans.

"…Simba, that plan sounds excellent, but I'm afraid to tell you that it doesn't work that way between humans and animals," Balto explained. "For one, humans speak in a different tongue, far different than any of ours. They won't be able to understand what we're saying to them. The humans will just think we're going to attack them, no matter what we do. And that would mean they will use their rifles to kill any of us without a second thought."

Simba was getting frustrated by all of this. So, humans can't understand what animals are saying, and they'll kill what they see on sight, whether if it feels endangered or not.

_Sounds like these humans are cowards and idiots, _He thought. _The more I hear about them, the more I already dislike them and think of them as a big threat to my family and my kingdom. _"So what's your idea, then, once you've found the humans?" He asked.

"My plan is to sneak into their campsite and listen to what the hunters are planning to do next," Balto replied. "The humans might not understand what we're saying, but I can understand _them_ perfectly."

"Really?" Kiara asked. "You can, Balto?"

"Yeah," Balto replied. "I may not be able to speak it, but I've been living with humans long enough to understand every word they say in their own language. If I could get close enough to hear what the hunters are saying without them seeing me, I'd be able to know if they're heading to the Pride Lands or not, if they bring it up by discussion or something. And once I hear all that I need to hear, I'll report back here and tell all of you everything."

"It sounds like a good plan," Nala said. "We may not have known you for very long, but I believe we can trust you to help us in our time of need, Balto. After all, you've risked your life to rescue my daughter, and returned her home; that took a lot of courage – something I never would've imagine a stranger using for someone else's cub. With your help, maybe you can keep the Pride Lands in peace from those human hunters."

"I promise to do whatever I can to protect your kingdom, Your Highness," Balto said. "I've realized I was brought here for a purpose, and that purpose is to help protect the Pride Lands from serious danger, and that's what I'm gonna do."

Everyone seemed convinced on what Balto had said to them. His eyes have shown nothing but complete honesty to his words. The wolfdog has now earned their full respect and trust.

"Okay, I think I need to be going now," Balto announced, heading to the stone steps. "It might be a while, but I will find the hunters and learn when they're on the move again."

"You're still not leaving without me," Simba said, when Balto was about to walk down the stone steps. "I need to see these humans for myself; learn what they really are, and how they act to everything they come across with. And like I already said, it's my duty to understand the threat and what the enemy or enemies are if the Pride Lands feel endangered."

Balto wanted to tell him that it's best if he does it alone, but immediately stopped himself from doing so. Simba is right. As King, it's his duty to know every situation and understand if it's a threat or not. The Pride Landers have never heard of humans before; so it's only natural to be scared and concern of whatever's about to enter into their territory, especially if it's something completely new to them. And it's Simba's responsibility to be sure the newcomers are friends or foes – and the only way he'll be able to find that out is if he sees them with his own eyes.

"…All right," Balto finally complied. "You can come, but with all the respect I have, Simba, you _must_ do everything I tell to do. You're not used to being around humans, so the hunters will be able to take advantage of that, believe me; humans have their way of doing that. So you must obey my every command."

"Fine, I'll do whatever you tell me to, but only when we're near the humans, understand?"

"Yes."

"Good."

Simba then nuzzled Nala and Kiara, goodbye. Nala told him to be careful out there, which Simba replied that he would.

"Be sure that you'll let Zazu know of the situation when he returns," Simba informed his mate.

"Yes, of course I will, Simba," Nala said.

Kiara nuzzled her father, and she, too, told him to be careful; Simba smiled and nuzzled his daughter once more, telling her he will. The rest of the pride bowed their heads to the Lion King and wished him luck.

"May the Great Kings watch over you," Sarabi said, when she nuzzled Simba.

"There hasn't been a day that Dad didn't," He told her. "And I know he isn't stopping now."

After hearing that, Sarabi nuzzled her son one more time; Simba then made his way to the stone steps, where Balto was waiting for him.

"Please watch over my mate, Balto," Nala told him, before they left. "Be sure that Simba doesn't do anything foolish. I don't know what I'd do if anything were to happen to him."

"Don't worry, Your Highness," Balto said. "I'll be sure he's alright. I promise."

"Thank you," She said. "And please call me 'Nala'. I've noticed that Simba has let you call him by his name; I think it's only fair you do the same for me."

Balto nodded.

"Be careful, Balto," Kiara said, cuddling his left leg. "I hope the humans don't shoot you or Daddy with those loud and dangerous things."

"I'll be sure they don't," Balto said, smiling; he has taken a great liking to the young princess. "See you later, Kiara."

And just when Simba and Balto were about to depart, Timon and Pumbaa walked up to their old pal.

"You sure you don't need your two old buddies coming along with ya?" Timon asked.

"Yeah, the way Balto has described these humans and those rifles, it sounds like you're gonna be needed us to get your back, Simba," Pumbaa said.

Simba smiles at his two best friends.

"Don't worry, guys," He said. "I can take care of myself. And I want to be sure nothing bad happens to you two, nor to anyone else here while Balto and I go look for these humans."

"Yeah, we know that, Simba," Timon said, "but we can't help thinking that you'll need your old pals, Timon and Pumbaa, with you."

"Hey, Hukuna Matata, guys. No worries."

Timon and Pumbaa smiled.

"Your right," Timon said. "Hukuna Matata."

"We'll be waiting right here when you get back, Simba," Pumbaa said.

"Thanks, you guys."

With that all said and done, Balto and Simba finally made their way down the stone steps and ran out to the night. Many animals watch as their king ran past them as he follows the strange newcomer, puzzled. Simba didn't have to worry about them; he knew Nala would call out to the animals and informed them about the situation. Soon after, he heard the loud roar of his mate calling for all of the Pride Landers' attention. Simba and Balto kept going towards the location where they first heard the gunshot – somewhere in the deep jungle in the outskirts of the Pride Lands.

* * *

Balto lifted his nose up high, sniffing for anything that smelled like gunpowder, smoke from a campfire, hunting dogs, or men. He and Simba have searched the vast, deep jungle for over an hour, and still haven't found any sign of the human hunters. Balto had figured since it's late at night, the hunters had probably set up camp and are resting now, which would be perfect for him and Simba to check out the humans' campsite and see what they've caught or killed. The Lion King watched quietly as the wolfdog tries to find any scent to where the campsite was located. And while Balto was searching, Simba was still thinking of where Zazu could possibly be. It wasn't like the blue hornbill to be gone this long when something serious is happing to the Pride Lands. Maybe something has happened to Zazu, he thought. As soon as that thought came to his head, Simba shook it off. He didn't have any reason to believe that his old friend is in trouble. Zazu knows how to take care of himself. 

Soon, Balto caught something that smelled like fresh campfire, leading deeper into the jungle.

"This way," Balto informed. "And remember, Simba – walk the same steps I make. The humans are sure to have traps already set up –"

"I got it, Balto," Simba said with a bit of annoyance in his voice. "Just lead the way, already."

And with that said, Balto led Simba into the direction where the hunters' campsite is located; many trees, large plants, and soft cries of small animals infested the rain forest as they went in even deeper. Balto examined the area he's walking in, keeping a sharp eye on any booby traps as he and Simba follows the scent in a slow paste. So far, so good, Balto thought. The lion behind him was looking at his surrounds as well. As far as he could tell, Simba doesn't see anything out of the ordinary. Simba is starting to think that he and Balto are not in any real danger of traps.

"Okay, this isn't getting us any faster," He stated, as he walked in front of Balto in a faster paste, going a few inches ahead of him. "I want to see these humans already, and I'd like to see them –"

"STOP!" Balto shouted.

Simba nearly jumped from the wolfdog's unexpected shout, but he froze from where he stood. His left paw is still halfway from setting foot on a long, thick pile of dead leaves. As Simba stood there, Balto grabs a long stick from the ground nearby, and walks up to the frozen Lion King; he told the golden feline to move back slowly, which he did so; and Balto then placed the stick onto the leaves, which snapped in two by a large metal trap in an instant, hidden in the pile of leaves. Simba gasped when he saw that.

"Now you see what I mean?" Balto stated. "If I hadn't stopped you, your paw would've set off the trap and you'll be trapped here as you roar out in pain from the metal trap's sharp fangs. And the hunters would've heard your loud cry, and come here to find you caught in their traps."

Simba went and carefully examines the mysterious large metal trap. Its sharp fangs have easily broken the stick in two; Simba would've definitely been caught in the trap, screaming out from the metal fangs that are stuck deep in his leg, and get captured by the human hunters.

"…Thank you, Balto," He said in a low voice, half embarrassed.

"Don't mention it," Balto replied. "We better keep going. And please follow my footsteps; there's bound to be more traps set up here, especially around the humans' campsite since we're getting close."

Simba nodded, and followed his savior to the campsite, once again. Along the way, Balto spotted a couple of more metal traps; he easily avoids them as he continues walking. Simba followed his example and avoided the metal traps the same way Balto did.

"Why do human hunters use these dangerous things, anyway?" Simba asked, as he tries not to step on the leaves that are hiding a trap.

"It's an easier way of catching prey for them," Balto replied. "Instead of searching all over the place for an animal to hunt, humans plant the traps in one area, while they hunt in another; so when an animal steps on a trap, it'll be stuck in the trap until the hunter comes back and sees it and shoot it."

"That sounds really cruel and unfair, if you ask me," Simba growled. "Humans have to use things that they _make _in order to hunt prey. It sounds to me that they never use what they're born with to catch something – they have to get their prey by cheating."

"That's not exactly true, Simba," Balto protested. "Again, humans use those things because they are not born with sharp fangs and claws like ours. You'll see what I mean. We're almost there."

And that he was right. Once they got pass some thick trees, Simba and Balto could see the humans' campsite, a few feet away. Balto instructed Simba to follow him slowly and keep down, which the Lion King did so. Then he and the wolfdog crept through the long grass in a slow paste to observe the campsite. Luckily, there weren't any traps set up nearby as Balto and Simba went and hid behind a fallen log, just a foot away from the camp. Simba took the time to gaze at the things he has never seen before in his life: a big tent was set in placed, a small fire surrounded by rocks that seem to keep it from spreading, clothes hanging on some string that was hooked up to the tent and to a tree close by, and, most importantly, the golden lion was staring at two humans sitting in front of the campfire.

Balto got a good look at the two humans: one looked like in his late 30s, with a thick beard and mustache, a completely shaved head, brown eyes, tan skinned, and wearing some sort of hunting uniform the wolfdog isn't familiar with; the second human looked 10 years younger than the other one, with dirty blond hair, green eyes, light skinned, and wearing a uniform identical to what the older human's wearing.

"So, those are the humans?" Simba asked in a very low voice.

Balto simply nodded.

He and Simba then observe the two humans' activities: the older human was sitting on a wooden fold-up chair, cleaning his rifle with a rag, while the younger human was placing some meat over of the campfire. Simba could smell the cooking meat from where he's hiding at; the sweet smell made his mouth water, realizing that he hasn't had the evening kill. The lion's stomach was roaring at him to go and try out the cooked meat, and see how it tastes like. Balto saw that and made a low growl to him.

"If they see you, they'll shoot you on sight without a second thought," He warned the hungry king. "The humans will think you're going to attack them, so they'll shoot you on self defense."

"Man, if only humans could speak our language," Simba growled. "We wouldn't have to hide from them to see what they're planning. I could've simply informed them that they're frightening everybody in my kingdom, and tell them to leave at once."

"…Yeah, if only it were that simple…" Balto said to himself.

Soon, the two animals could hear the humans talking.

"How long is it till that meat's ready for eating, Jim?" asked the older human, putting down the freshly cleaned rifle and picking up another dirty one.

"Give it 30 minuets tops, Ernest," replied the younger human named Jim. "You know a piece of meat isn't tasty when it isn't fully cooked."

"Amen to that," Ernest agreed, still cleaning off dirt from the second rifle. "But I can't help it when I'm so dang hungry. We've been walking through this bloody jungle all day, not see that much animals to hunt, and with not enough meat inside my stomach, giving me the extra strength I need to go and hunt down an elephant or lion. It's just killing me!"

Jim laughed.

"Yeah, so does that mean you have to _eat_ a lion and an elephant in order to _hunt _a lion and an elephant?"

Ernest threw the dirty cloth at Jim, who easily avoided it, but wasn't lucky enough to avoid the oncoming rifle that hit his chest.

"There, clean your own rifle, smart guy!" Ernest shouted.

An argument between the two hunters had started. Balto shook his head in annoyance.

"What are they doing?" Simba asked, puzzled by all of this.

"They're just fighting over a piece of meat," Balto simply replied.

"Oh, so is that the humans' way of fighting over who gets to eat first?"

"Something like that."

When the little argument finally stopped, Balto went back to listening to the humans again. So far, it seems that they're no threat to the Pride Lands.

"Did ya the plant the traps like I told you to?" Ernest asked Jim, as he turns the meat so the fire will heat every side of it.

"Yes," Jim replied angrily, cleaning his own rifle with the cloth. "I plant them around the camp, just like you told me to! No dumb animal will be bothering us tonight! So you don't have to worry your big, bald head over nothing!"

Balto couldn't help but make a slight chuckle at that human's remark.

"Good," Ernest said. "I've spent all day walking through this inferno jungle; the least I could get is some decent sleep. And the last thing I want is an animal walking into our camp, destroying our things while we sleep."

"You could say that again," Jim agreed.

Ernest continues to turn the rotating meat, while Jim finishes cleaning his rifle. Simba and Balto remained silent as they continue to see what the two humans are gonna do next. A short time later, the meat was done cooking; Jim puts down his rifle, grabs hold of a tin plate, and waits for Ernest to cut him a piece of the meat. As the two humans ate in silence, Simba watches how they were eating in wonder.

_They put their kill over a little fire, that doesn't even spread, to have the meat hot for them, _He thought. _And they use some sort of odd-looking little sticks to rip open their kill, instead of using their teeth and claws…? Wow, there really _is _a difference between us animals and the humans. There's so many things I yet to understand from all of this: the humans speaking their own language, that big den-like thing, that stuff that's all around them, and how they're able to keep that little fire in one place._

He then looks at Balto, who was still observing the two humans eating their meal.

_Balto seems to know a lot about them,_ Simba thought, as he too looks back at the humans._ I'll ask him all my questions and concerns later. Right now, I want to see more of these humans' activities. Despite the great amount of differences, these humans don't seem to be any threat to my kingdom. Maybe they're not as bad as I thought they would be._

Ernest continued eating his meal, until he noticed Jim was looking in different places with a frightened look on his face.

"What's the matter with you, boy?" He asked with a mouthful of meat.

"I don't know," Jim replied in a low voice, still looking at the dark trees in every direction. "I just have a gut-feeling that we're being watch, right now."

Balto's ears shot up when he heard that. Have they been spotted?

"What makes you think that?" Ernest asked, after finally swallowing his meat.

"Can't say," Jim replied, putting down his half-finished plate, grabs hold of his rifle, and got up from his chair and started walking around the campsite. "I just have this feeling that somebody's spying on us right now."

The younger human started checking out the dark areas of the jungle – the opposite side of where Balto and Simba are hiding. Jim kept aiming his rifle at whatever sound he's hearing and whatever he thought he saw was moving. Balto and Simba remained quiet and still, hoping the human won't check out the spot they're hiding at. Ernest, meanwhile, chuckled at Jim's reaction to whatever he thought he heard or saw, and continued eating his meal.

"You know, Jim, it's probably just your tiny little mind playing tricks on you again," He said, stealing what's left of Jim's meat off his plate. "Just like when you thought you saw that big white lion, earlier today."

Right then, Jim ran out from the jungle and went straight to Ernest.

"I _did_ see a white lion, you numbskull!" Jim exclaimed. "After we separated to explore this jungle a lot better, I just happen to see it! Right in front of my very eyes, I saw a full grown lion, white as the pretty clouds! Oh, I bet ya that lion alone would be worth hundreds, probably even thousands of dollars, I'm telling you!"

"Then why didn't you shoot it?"

"I already told you! I was about to, but the dang animal caught a glimpse of me and roared, almost giving me a little accident. I dropped my rifle, and right after I picked it up, the big white cat vanished."

Ernest laughed like crazy.

"Who do you think you're fooling?" He said. "'Cause you ain't fooling me; there ain't no white lions in this here jungle. Yellow and gold, perhaps, but there sure ain't no white ones."

Jim was cross.

"You just wait, you imbecile," He stated, angrily. "We'll just see who's fooling who. The next time I see that white lion, I'm gonna put a bullet through that big forehead of his, and I'm gonna skin him down, and then, I'm gonna rub his pretty white fur right in front of your face! Uh-huh, that's what I'm gonna do!"

"Yeah, yeah," Ernest said, finishing up on eating the rest of the meat. "That's if you don't turn chicken again, and the white lion eats you alive, while you pee your pants."

"You'll…"

Jim stopped. He noticed his plate was empty; then he looks back at Ernest, whose mouth still had some meat in it.

"That's my meat!"

Ernest gulped the rest of it down.

"Not anymore, it ain't," He said, smiling. "You shouldn't have left it for me to take, while you go see who's watching us. You snooze, you lose. Or in this case: you leave your plate, I take."

The next thing that happened, Jim went and punched Ernest right in the face. Soon, a little fight broke out. Meanwhile, Balto and Simba watched while all of this was happing. Balto had heard everything the two numbskull humans had said before they started throwing fists. Simba grew even more puzzled by all of this.

"What are they doing now?" He asked.

"They're still fighting over the piece of meat," Balto replied.

"Man, humans sure do want their meat," Simba said to himself.

Balto nearly chuckled out loud.

"Was that all they were saying?" Simba asked.

"No, at first, the younger human called Jim thought he suspects somebody's watching them – don't worry," Balto added when Simba was about to say something, "he didn't see us, and he probably thought it was just his imagination. Soon after, the older human called Ernest brought up the subject about Jim seeing a white lion around here."

"A white lion?" Simba asked.

"Yeah," Balto said. "Do you know a white lion?"

"No, I don't," Simba replied. "Did the humans catch him with their rifles?"

"From what I heard, it seems the white lion got away."

"Thank the Great Kings." Simba said with a sigh of relief.

Balto and Simba looked back at the two still-fighting humans.

"Do you think we should go back to Pride Rock, Simba?" Balto said. "So far from what we've seen and from what I've heard, these humans aren't so bright; so I don't think they'll be much of a threat to anyone in your kingdom."

"You're probably right," Simba said, watching Jim and Ernest continue fighting. "Let's stay a little longer – see what else they're gonna do next. If those humans continue to fight over some meat, we'll head back."

"Alright."

About a minuet later, Jim and Ernest stopped swinging their fists at eachother and sat back on their chairs, panting. Both humans weren't _too_ beaten up: they received a couple of little bruises and scratches, but that's about it. No matter how angry they are at eachother, Jim and Ernest wouldn't give the other any serious damage; this is just their idiotic way of letting off some steam.

Jim went and grabbed two clean rags from inside the tent. He then grabs a canteen that's right next to him, opens the lid, and pours out some water onto the rags, and then hands one rag to Ernest, who took it and places on his bruised face. Jim did the same once he closed the lid of the canteen and puts it back down. Both hunters sat in silence as they let the soaked rags ease their pain.

"That was a good punch," Ernest finally spoke out.

"Yeah, you we're so bad, yourself," Jim said.

They didn't say anything else for a couple of minuets. They just let the cold rags cool them down.

"I wish we had some dogs with us," Jim said, breaking the silence, at last.

"Huh?" Ernest said, taking the rag off of his face. "Where did that come from?"

"I mean, I wish we brought half of the hunting dogs with us," Jim explained. "That way I know if we're really being watched or not. You know, dogs have those keen senses of smelling; they could smell something fishy that we humans can't. That way, I know for sure we're being spied on or not. But no, Dean and Cole had to take the dogs all for themselves – selfish jerks!"

"Oh, shut your trap about that 'we being watched' nonsense!" Ernest shouted. "There's nobody here except you and me! No animal will be around without us hearing it crying in pain from them traps! Jeez, if I knew you were gonna be like this, I would've told Mister Miles I want to hunt with Cole, instead!"

Jim went quiet after hearing that. He relaxed and places the wet cloth on top of his forehead, yet again.

"You're right, Ernest," Jim started. "I don't know what I was thinking, us being watched by some dumb animal when I hid them traps in some pretty good spots. Yeah, if I hear a lion or some sort were to get anywhere near here, they'd sure to set foot on the trap."

"Yup, there you go," Ernest said.

"I always do set up the traps in perfect spots, don't I?"

"Absolutely."

"Our camp is never disturbed while we sleep, right?"

"Right."

Balto was getting a little annoyed from hearing the humans' little conversation. It seems to him that these hunters are not the type of hunters the spirit orb warned him about; both humans have some tempers, but they don't seem like really bad people. Maybe it's all a big mistake for him to be sent here, after all.

Suddenly, Simba and Balto could hear someone yelling that was coming straight from inside the tent. Jim and Ernest even turned their heads toward the tent when they heard the noise.

"_What's this!? Where am I!? What am I doing here!? And how did I get locked in this prison!?"_

Simba nearly gasped out loud. He knew that voice anywhere.

"Zazu!?"

Balto gasped too. The two humans have captured Zazu! Soon, Jim and Ernest started laughing at the screeching caged bird. To Simba and Balto, Zazu is shouting out for help, but to the two human hunters, all they could hear is bird cries.

"Sounds like that blue bird I caught has finally woken up," Ernest said. "Would you mind going and shut that thing up?"

"Fine."

Jim got up from his seat and went into the tent. Balto and Simba could hear Jim talking to Zazu.

"_Hey there, little guy, Polly wanna cracker?"_

_Squawk, squawk, squawk, squawk! (You, sir, who or what ever you are, I demand that you release from this inferno contraption, at once!)_

"_Does the cute little bird want a tasty cracker?"_

_Squawk, squawk, squawk, squawk, squawk! (I'm warning you, sir, if you don't let me out of here, you are going to be in deep, deep trouble!)_

_No? Polly doesn't want the cracker? What's wrong with Polly?_

_Squawk, squawk, squawk, squawk, squawk! (You have any idea who I am? I am the major domo of the mighty King Simba: king of the Pride Lands. If His Majesty hears word of what you're doing to me, he'll make you beg for forgiveness!)_

"_Oh, come on, what's wrong with you? Why won't you be quiet already?_

_Squawk, squawk, squawk, squawk, squawk, squawk, squawk! (How dare you touch me like that!? Sir, if you don't get your paws away from my head and face, I'll have no choice but to do some drastic measures!)_

"_There, that's not so bad – OUCH! YOU PEST! YOU BIT MY FINGER!"_

_Squawk, squawk, squawk, squawk! (I warned you! Now let me out of this thing, right now!)_

"_No one bites me, and gets away with it!"_

Just then Simba and Balto could hear some rustling and Zazu begging the human to stop kicking the cage he's locked in. Simba was on the verge to run into the campsite and rescue his dear friend. But Balto saw it, and tugged him to stop his attempt.

"It's still too dangerous to walk into the campsite," He told Simba. "Just try to be patient. I have a plan to get Zazu out of there. But for right now, we have to wait till they go to sleep."

Simba couldn't stand staying in the hiding spot while hearing what other things the younger human named Jim is gonna do to Zazu. His dear friend is trapped in the humans' tent while Jim is doing who-knows-what to him – and this wolfdog right next to him is telling him to be patient? Balto gave the enraged lion a firm look.

"I want to save Zazu, just as much as you do. But now's not the time to do it, Simba. Be patient, please – we'll rescue Zazu. I promise."

Simba made a low growl to Balto, and went back to watching the campsite. Suddenly, they saw Jim coming out from the tent, carrying in his left hand a little, wooden cage containing the blue hornbill, who was now silent and frightened. Ernest started laughing when he saw that Jim's right forefinger was wrapped in a bandage.

"I take it that blue bird isn't fond of you," He said, grinning. "Who could blame it with that ugly face of yours?"

Jim smacked Ernest's bald head, and sat back down to his chair, putting the wooden cage on his partner's lap.

"The first thing it did was cry out when it saw me," He told Ernest. "I tried being nice to it, but the blue pest just bit my finger. It hurt like heck; so I just kicked its cage to show him who's boss. Dang-gone bird…"

Ernest just chuckled and shook his head, and looks inside the cage. Zazu was still shaken from Jim's kicks, and hid his face with his wings.

"Hey there, little fellow," He said. "Did that mean ugly man scare you?"

Zazu kept his face hidden, ignoring the bald human. Jim, meanwhile, examines his bandaged finger, cursing under his breath.

"This is just perfect," He spoke out. "We come all this way to Africa, hiked many miles in this godforsaken jungle, hoping they we'd get to shoot some lions and some other wild cats, but no! We've hiked through this jungle since early this morning, and the only animal we caught is a stupid, crying, blue pigeon!"

"Jeez, man, would you stop your whining already!?" Ernest yelled. "It's bad enough that haven't shot any lions today, but you don't have go on complaining like a little baby!"

The young dirty blond human glared at his older partner.

"Whatever," He said. "Once I see Mister Miles, I'm gonna look at him straight in the eye, and demand why he made us go all the way here, just to capture a blue bird."

Ernest chuckled.

"Yeah, I'd love to see that."

"…But not before I find that white lion again, and shoot it, and demand Miles that I get half of whatever it's worth." Jim muttered under his breath. "That's fair enough."

A few minuets later, both Jim and Ernest made some big yawns.

"I think it's about time I hit the hay," Ernest said.

_Finally._ Balto thought.

"So, looks like you're lookout again, Jim." Ernest said.

"Uh-uh, it's my turn to sleep first, while you keep as lookout." Jim protested.

"How about the usual, then?"

"Sure."

Ernest and Jim played the game of rock, paper, scissors: Ernest got rock; Jim, unfortunately, got scissors.

"Jeez, man, not again!" Jim complained.

"Ah, someday you'll win, kiddo," Ernest said, laughing. "Here, I'll keep the bird here with you. Since you and him get along so well."

Zazu took a little peek and saw that Jim was glaring and growing at him, which made hide his face again.

"Night-night," Ernest said, laughing while on his way to the tent.

Jim grabbed his rifle, leaned back in his chair, and stares out into the jungle, complaining.

"Don't know why I have to be lookout since I set up traps all around the campsite."

While Jim was doing that, Simba looks back at Balto.

"What's happening now?" He asked.

"The older human has gone to sleep, while the younger one is keeping watch," Balto replied.

"So, how are we gonna get Zazu out of there, then?"

"Don't worry, Simba. Again, just try to be patient. It's only a matter of time till he falls asleep too. Believe me, I know. Once Jim starts catching some Zs, I'll go and get Zazu out of there."

Simba growls a little, and went back to watching the human again. He could see that Zazu is scared and confused from all of this. Simba now hopes it wouldn't be long till he gets his friend out of there. Right now, he has no choice but to trust Balto.

* * *

**End of chapter. Oh boy, looks like Zazu has been caught by two idiots name Jim and Ernest. Will Simba and Balto be able to get him out? And what white lion was it that Jim almost shot? All answers will revieled in good time. I'm sorry to say that the next chapter won't be out anytime soon. Not only that I have college work to focus on, I have another story that I wanna finish up, before doing anything else. Don't worry, though, once all of that is taken care of, I'll get back to work on this story again. Thank you all for reading and enjoy my story. I never would've guessed this story would be so populer. It makes me proud as a writer that I'm doing an okay job.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey there. Sorry about the LONG wait. I've had a bad case of writer's block for quite a while. But finally here it is, by popular demand, the new chapter. Enjoy.**

* * *

For about an hour Jim sat in his chair with his rifle in his hands, mumbling and cursing to himself why he's always the one who has to keep watch whenever he and Ernest are on a hunting trip. The dirty blond hunter kept on ranting as he taps his right foot on the green grass. It was something that would keep him awake the whole night, but…it's not gonna work for him tonight. He and Ernest just had a long and hard day and sleep was slowly but surely taking over him. And what a day it was for the two hunters.

By orders of their boss known only as Mister Miles, Jim and Ernest had to explore the vast, uncharted jungle for lions and other animals for a couple of day, and report back once they found a pride of lions and/or hunted a down strong, powerful one. The massive heat from the sun's rays wasn't making things any easier for the two explorers/hunters. It felt like they were inside an oven as they scout the massive rain forest – and during that time, the two human hunters haven't found even a little trace of an animal roaming the jungle. They soon decided to split up for a while to explore the rain forest a lot better, and meet eachother later on at sundown.

Once they went their separate ways, Jim and Ernest started searching for any animals that's either worth a lot, or at least that was good for their evening dinner. As they explored the jungle on their own, Jim and Ernest had set up traps incase any animals decided to roam around the spot they were at. They both hoped that a good one would set foot on their traps for an easier catch. When dusk finally settled, and while Jim was finishing setting up his last trap, he had heard a sound. He had immediately grabbed hold of his rifle that was strapped behind his back, and went to find the source of the sound. It had sounded to him like a low growl of some kind. Jim slowly walked through a clear area of the jungle, free from the long trees, and heard the sound again – this time, he was sure it was a growl. A lion growl to be exact. The human hunter then heard footsteps coming towards him from his left side. Jim turned his head to the left and saw something that nearly made his heart stopped. Despite that the sun was gone, Jim could still see fine, thanks to the thousands of the bright stars. He was looking at a full-grown, powerful lion that was about thirty feet away from him, staring straight at him. Jim couldn't believe what he was seeing. It wasn't because a powerful lion was close enough to rip him to shreds and start chewing on his bones; he's been through worst in the past. What Jim couldn't believe was the fact it was a pure _white _lion that was close enough for him to make an easy kill!

Jim had stared at the magnificent feline for about ten seconds; he kept blinking his eyes continuously to be sure his mind wasn't playing tricks on him, while trying not to move a muscle at the same time. When he finally stopped blinking, Jim knew what he was facing was real. A tall, proud, mighty-looking lion with fur that is white as a cloud up above the sky and snow up on a mountaintop was staring at the human hunter with curiosity and pride on its face. Jim could see that the lion had a few scars all over its body; long and big ones on top of its body and little ones on its lower part and some on its face. By seeing those scars, Jim had figured that it must be a rogue. That also meant a big opportunity for Jim: since it's a loner, Jim could shoot the lion without worrying about other lions showing up. He could kill the white lion, take it back to the camp that he and Ernest would set up, skin it, and show it to this Mister Miles he works for, for a huge bonus in his salary. Despite a few battle scars on the lion, its fur would still be worth something nonetheless.

As slowly and quietly as he could, Jim aimed his trusty rifle at the snow-white feline, pulled back on the hammer of the rifle with his thumb, and was about to use his forefinger to pull the trigger when suddenly…

_ROAR!!_

Jim jumped out of fright, shoots his rifle out to the open sky, and fell to the ground. The lion had let out a powerful roar that caused Jim to fall and nearly urinate in his pants. When Jim got back up, he saw that the white lion was taking off back to the thick trees of the jungle. The loud noise from the rifle fire had scared it off. He ran after it. When he thought he had a good shot, Jim stops in his tracks, aims his rifle at the running lion, and fired. The bullet missed its target and went into a tree, while the white lion continued on running. Jim cursed to himself and chased after it again. For five minuets the dirty blond hunter was chasing the cloud-white lion, but it was no use: he soon ran out of breath, and the mighty white lion was long gone. Jim kept cursing to himself as he went to meet up with his hunting partner. He had let a small mistake take away his big fortune and his dignity.

When Jim finally met up with Ernest, he saw that his older partner only caught a small blue bird with a banana-shaped beak. The bird was out cold inside a hand-made cage. Jim told Ernest about the white lion as they set up camp. Ernest laughed and told him that his brain is just messed up from all the walking and scouting they did. Jim got angry with that. After camp was set up, Ernest went out to see if he could at least catch him and his partner some dinner. A few minuets had pass and Jim heard a gunshot, and soon saw that Earnest had managed to hunt an antelope (surprisingly that was only big animal Ernest had seen all day) and brought it back to camp. Jim skinned it, cleaned it, and cooked it. Before long, both hunters were eating their dinner, talking nonsense, arguing and fighting with eachother, messing with the caged bird, and competing to see who stays up all night as lookout while the other gets some shut-eye.

Now, after all he's been through, Jim's eyelids were slowly coming down. He tried his best to stay awake, but he couldn't. He was just too tired. Before long, the dirty blond human hunter was off hunting for strong and priceless animals in dreamland, completely unaware that a half Siberian Husky, half Alaskan Timber Wolf was slowly coming out of the jungle and onto the campsite.

Balto was walking slowly towards the cage that was containing Zazu. He had waited ten minuets before he came out of the spot that he and Simba were hiding at. He wanted to be sure that the human hunter was fully asleep so it'll be safe to get Zazu out of there. Simba said he should be the one to save Zazu, but Balto had told him that it'd be best if he did it. The Lion King was about to argue with him, but didn't want to risk waking the two humans, so he just let Balto do it. The wolfdog slowly makes his way to the wooden cage, where it was located right next to the blond human hunter. He was careful not to step on anything that could wake up the two snoring humans.

"Almost there." He whispered quietly to himself.

Suddenly a loud, unexpected snore came from Jim, causing Balto to stop in his tracks, completely alarmed. The human hunter then starting moving a little in his chair, mumbling in his sleep as he did.

"W-What!? What's that!? It…It's that white lion again. This time I'm gonna get it for sure. Yeah, take that! Oh yeah! I got it! I got it…"

Jim stops mumbling and went back to sleeping peacefully. Balto lets out a low sigh of relief and continues to walk slowly to the cage. After closely examining that the human is truly asleep, Balto looks into the cage, where Zazu still had his face covered by his wings.

"Psst," Balto whispered in a low voice. "Zazu. It's me."

Zazu slowly removes his wings away from his face and gasped when he saw the wolfdog.

"My goodness!" He shouted with excitement. "You're here!? How did you -"

"Sssh," Balto said, looking at the human hunter who was still sound asleep, then looks back at Zazu. "I'm gonna get you out of here. Just keep quiet, all right?"

Zazu nodded frantically.

Balto then grabs hold of the handle of the wooden cage with his teeth, and then slowly creeps back to where Simba was at.

"Oh, thank you, Balto," Zazu whispered as his savoir carries him out of the campsite. "Thank you so much for getting me out of there. I didn't know what those…ruffians were gonna do to me. I thought I was gonna be a goner for sure."

Balto couldn't say anything back to him since he has the handle of the cage in his mouth, but Zazu knew he's telling him "You're welcome" nonetheless. Once Balto got Zazu out of the humans' campsite and back to the hiding spot, Simba ran up to them.

"Zazu," He whispered in a high voice. "Are you okay? Did those humans harm you?"

"Sire?" Zazu asked dumbfounded. "You're here too? How did you find me?"

"I hate to interrupt you both, but I'm afraid this isn't the right place to talk," Balto cut in. "I say we get as far away from here as we can, before those hunters wake up and notice their caged bird has disappeared."

"But what about Zazu?" Simba asked, looking at his old friend still trapped inside the cage. "How are we supposed to get him out of that thing?"

"I have that taken care of, Simba," Balto assured him. "I can get him out of that cage easy. But first, we need to get out of here."

"I agree with Balto, Sire," Zazu said. "The farther I'm away from those beastly imbeciles, the better I feel."

From hearing what his majordomo said, Simba nodded to Balto. The wolfdog then grabs hold of the handle of the cage once again and ran off with Simba right behind him. Just like before, Balto was closely examining the area of the rain forest to see any signs of planted booby traps, and just like before, he and Simba walked over them. Once they knew they've gotten farther enough away from the humans' campsite, Balto and Simba stopped. Balto then puts the caged Zazu on the ground.

"Just give me a minuet to let you out," He said, looking at the door of the wooden cage, then soon found out how to open it. "Oh, guess I don't need a minuet."

He discovered that the door was locked only being tied to some string. Balto grabs hold of the door with his teeth and pulled it open easily. The delighted hornbill flew out of there, and up to the sky.

"Ah! Freedom!" Zazu said happily, flying around in the air like he was young again. "Sweet freedom! Thank you so much for getting me out of that blasted thing, Balto. I'm now in your debt."

"Don't mention it," Balto replied.

"I'm glad to see that you're unharmed, Zazu," Simba said, thinking of back when he heard the dirty blond human hunter kicking the cage and Zazu's terrified cries inside the tent.

Zazu then flew down and landed on His Majesty's back.

"And I'm glad that you both were there to save me," He said. "But may I ask how did you both know I was being held captive by those ruffians when I was far away from the Pride Lands?"

"Well, to be honest, Zazu, we didn't know you'd be there at first," Simba explained. "Balto and I were just there to find out who these – as Balto calls them – humans are, and what they're doing in the jungle. And we just happen to hear you crying out from their…den. I'm real glad that we did. Me and the rest of the pride were worried about you."

"Really?" Zazu said. "Well, it's a good thing I cried out, then. You'd probably never even know I was there, and those numbskulls would've done something to me that I'd rather not know about."

"Yeah," Simba said. "By the way, how did you get captured by those human hunters?"

"Let's see. Where to begin? Oh, right. I was scouting the Pride Lands, searching for Balto's son," Zazu explained. "I've asked everyone in the kingdom I could find if they have seen him; I gave them each the description of what Balto has given me, and asked if they met someone with those looks. Unfortunately, they all told me no, they haven't seen him. I then informed them all if they do happen to see anyone with the same description I have described to them, they are to report to me at Pride Rock immediately. After scouting the entire kingdom, I decided to take a quick check at the rain forest to see if I just happen to spot Balto's son there. The sun was just barely shining on the lands when I was heading back to Pride Rock after finding no traces of Kodi. And that's when I heard her."

"Who?" Simba and Balto asked in unison.

"I don't know," Zazu replied. "I just heard this female hornbill, not too far from where I was at, calling for help. I heard her shouting out, 'Hello? Is anyone there? I need help. Hello?'. Well, being a helpful and caring bird that I am, I couldn't just ignore a plea for help; so I flew down to the trees to where the female hornbill's plea was coming from. When I landed on a tree branch where the plea was coming from the loudest, I couldn't see the female hornbill anywhere; I could only hear her voice. I then shouted out to her to find out where she was – then, out of nowhere, and I mean _literally_ nowhere, I felt something hit my stomach and then I…just…blacked out. The next thing I knew was I woke up inside that bloody contraption," he pointed at the wooden cage with his right feathered forefinger, "being messed with and assaulted by one of those…humans as you call them, and being saved by you two in the dead of night."

Simba and Balto exchange quick glances at eachother as they let everything of Zazu's story sink into their heads. The Lion King could understand the part of Zazu trying to find a female hornbill who was crying for help, but he couldn't figure out what it was that had hit Zazu in the stomach and made him go unconscious. Balto, however, had a different idea of what Zazu actually heard, but as for being hit in the stomach and losing conscious is something he couldn't understand just as much as Simba. After a minuet of thinking, Simba looks back at Balto.

"Don't suppose you know what all of this means, huh?" He asked.

"Only the first half of it," the wolfdog replied.

"What do you mean?" Zazu asked.

"You said that you heard a female hornbill crying for help, right?"

"Uh-huh."

"Well, I don't think it was really a female hornbill at all."

"You mean I could've mistaken it for some other cry?" Zazu said. "But that's not possible! I've been living in the Pride Lands all my life! And I know practically every animal cry there is by heart, especially a hornbill! _I'm _a hornbill, for crying out loud!"

"That's not what I meant, Zazu," Balto said. "I meant what you heard and thought was a female hornbill, but was actually a whistle that one of the human hunters must've used."

"Huh? A whistle?" Zazu asked. "What whistle?"

"It's a little thing that humans make to make loud noises," Balto explained. "They put the whistle in the tip of their mouths and blow on it, causing it to make a sound of some kind, depending on the purpose they're using it for. Back where I come from, humans use whistles for races: they blow on it and it makes a loud, screech sound, telling the dogs of the sled teams to start running. But this is different. Like I said, humans could make whistles to do different sounds – like hornbill cries, for example."

Zazu had his eyes wide open and gasped.

"You mean what I just heard and thought was a female hornbill cry but it was actually a whistle trick by those human hunters?"

"Yes. I'm afraid so. Human hunters use whistles to trick birds into believing that it's a call from one of their own, and once they see the bird flying down to look for what they thought was a fellow bird's cry, the hunters bring down the bird."

Zazu was shocked after hearing Balto explained that – but not as much shocked as Simba. The Lion King couldn't believe all the strange and unnatural things human hunters could do. After hearing everything Balto has told him about humans and witnessing what they could do at the campsite, it seems to him that humans could do absolutely anything – even cheat the Circle of Life, and that was making Simba very angry.

"But what about the thing that knocked me out?" Zazu asked. "Was it part of the humans' tricks after they had me fooled by their whistles?"

"That, Zazu, I cannot explain," Balto replied honestly with a low sigh. "I've never heard nor see a human use a little thing to have birds past out. That was probably something humans in these lands use."

Simba sharpened his nails on the earth from hearing that.

"Okay, now that you've told us what the human hunters are doing and we got Zazu out of there, I'd say we head back to the Pride Lands." He said.

"Yeah, let's get going." Balto said.

Then they walked their way through the jungle, on their way back to Pride Rock. Zazu was still on Simba's back as he and Balto walked silently. Everyone was quiet for they could not think of anything to say at the moment. Simba had his mind set on all the possibilities humans use or could use when it comes to hunting. Balto was thinking back to what he had heard from the two human hunters, trying to understand what exactly their plan is and if the Pride Lands are indeed in danger by them – but he also had something bigger in his mind: his son Kodi is still somewhere in the lands of Africa, all by himself.. Zazu just kept looking at the wolfdog, thinking that he has a huge debt to pay to his savior.

"I'm sorry, Balto," He said.

"Sorry for what?" Balto asked; looking at the majordomo who's still on Simba's back.

"I'm sorry that I haven't found your son," Zazu answered in a shameful tone.

"Oh, it's not your fault, Zazu," Balto assured. "You were captured by the human hunters. But before you were, you did everything you could to try to find him – and for that, I'm real grateful."

Zazu felt a little better, but he still owed him.

"I swear to you, Balto, that no matter what it takes – on the last bit of sight I could see, on the last bit of hearing I could hear, on the very last feather that's on me, on the very last breath I breathe – I will find your son, and do everything in my power to make sure he's alive and healthy."

Balto was amazed on what Zazu said to him. Simba, however, was still focused of the human hunters' many possibilities that he didn't hear what his friend and majordomo told the wolfdog.

"…Thank you." Balto said in a low, but firm and grateful tone.

Zazu nodded.

They continued on after that without saying another word.

"So, uh, Sire, if you and Balto didn't know I was imprisoned in humans' den in the first place, why was you both there to begin with?" Zazu asked a few minuets later.

Simba heard him this time.

"Well, a few hours ago, Balto and I heard rifle fire from far away." He replied.

"Rifle fire?" Zazu said, trying to think if he knows it from somewhere before, but he hasn't. "I am not familiar with the term 'rifle fire', Your Majesty. What exactly is that?"

"Well…I believe Balto should explain everything to you, Zazu – since he seems to know a lot more about this than I do."

"Yeah, that I should, Simba," Balto said.

He then explained everything to the Lion King's majordomo. The hero of Nome told him when he and Simba first heard the rifle fire to what he's already told Simba and his pride about human hunters to when he and Simba were heading to the campsite, avoiding the metal traps.

"Oh, my…" Zazu said once Balto was finished. "This all sounds serious, but far too much for me to handle at the same time as well. These humans sure know how to do everything."

"Yeah, you could say that again..." Simba muttered.

"Listen, you guys," Balto said. "I know I'm throwing too much at you both all at once, but I couldn't think of an easier way to explain it. The bottom line is that I was brought here to help you all from the human hunters that'll soon be heading to the Pride Lands. From what I've heard from those two humans back there was that their boss has sent them here to explore these lands that are unknown to them, and hunt for any lions and other big animals they could find. That usually means once they capture something that good for them, it's only a matter of time till a lot of human hunters walk through these lands, and when that happens…well…I don't want to think of what could happen."

Simba took the time to let all that sink in. From what he has seen already, the two humans seem like complete idiots that fight over stupid, little, meaningless things such as meat, for instance. But if it's true of what Balto had told him – if one of those idiot hunters finds and kills an animal that they think is valuable, more human hunters with rifles will come and start shooting everything they could find, meaning everyone in his kingdom will be in serious danger, including his pride and loved ones.

"So, what are we suppose to do now, Balto?" He asked. "How are gonna stop those two humans from hunting for any more animals if we can't tell them anything they'll understand?"

"I...I don't know." Balto said honestly; this is starting to get out of hand for him.

"Uh, pardon me, Balto," Zazu spoke out. "I've been meaning to ask you this one question since earlier today, but I decided not to ask you then till it's the right time for you. But when you mentioned that you were brought to the Pride Lands to help us, I just have to know now. …Who exactly was it that brought you here?"

Simba stopped in his tracks. He looked back at Zazu then to Balto, who had just stopped and was looking at him as to why they stopped.

"Yeah, come to think of it, you did mention that you now know who it was that sent you to my kingdom, and you did sound confident on that person after those first two rifle fires went off. And I think right now is a good time to finally tell me who it was that brought you here."

Balto looks at Simba and Zazu. He couldn't think of a good and easier way to break it to them. He wasn't sure they'd believe him if he told them, but he has to tell them.

"Simba, Zazu," He began. "I think it was…the spirit of Mufasa that brought me here to help you all defend the Pride Lands from the human hunters."

Simba and Zazu were shocked when Balto told them that. They couldn't believe it, especially Simba. He couldn't believe that his father – one of the many Great Kings of the Past – have brought this…this…_stranger _to Pride Lands to help _him_!

_No, _He thought. _That can't be true. My father would never do that. Even if he did, he would've… No. No. This is all just a big mistake._

Balto remained silent, staring at Simba and Zazu's shocked expressions. He was waiting for their responses. Zazu was the first one.

"Are you certain of this?" He asked. "Are you absolutely sure it was Mufasa's spirit that sent you here?"

"Well…I can't say for certain," Balto replied, "but I remember his spirit saying that his _son's _kingdom is soon to be endanger and that it's in the need of my help. And after hearing you telling me about your past, Simba, I finally pieced everything together and realized that it must be your father that brought me to the Pride Lands – and my son Kodi was brought here only by accident."

"No!" Simba roared, causing Zazu to jump and fly off his back from shock. "You're wrong! My father didn't bring you here! There's no way! Even if he did, he would've told me first! There has to be another explanation about all this!"

Balto was taken aback. He didn't think Simba would act like this. Zazu had no idea of to make out of all of this, so he just kept quiet. Simba was now growling. He felt angry – not just for what Balto had said, but for also the possibility of human hunters stepping into his Pride Lands and endangering everyone in the kingdom.

"I'm heading back to Pride Rock," He informed. "We'll settle this later. Right now, I need to warn my pride about the possible dangers. If you were sent here to help us, Balto, then help us."

And with that, he took off. Balto and Zazu remained where they were at, however. The wolfdog looks at the blue hornbill with a "what-was-that-all-about" look. Zazu just sighs for he has no idea of His Majesty's sudden change of mood.

"I must be off to follow him," He said. "I'm sure he wants me to tell my tales to the rest of the kingdom. But my promise still stands, Balto – I'll continue my search for your son in the morning and won't stop till I find him."

Then he flew off after the Lion King. Balto was by himself now. The wolfdog looks up to the dark blue sky with the thousands of stars glittering down at him and the full moon displaying its beauty. He lets out a sigh.

"Something tells me that this is just the beginning for all of us…" He said to himself before he ran off toward Pride Rock as well.

* * *

About forty-five miles away from where Balto, Simba, and Zazu were standing at, Runako the white lion was walking along the clear, green field of the savannah with the beautiful stars and massive full moon shining above him. He dragged his worn out paws towards a waterhole that was close by, exhausted by the typical day's work of survival. The white lion collapsed onto the ground once his muzzle was close enough to touch the clear, cool water. Runako then started drinking away; the cool water immediately felt refreshing to him once it had entered his mouth and went through his throat and all the way down to his stomach. After he was finished, Runako sat up properly on his hind legs and looked at the surroundings around him: he was alone.

Runako was used to being alone; he didn't expect to see anyone from his pride for he had no pride, nor even any friends for that matter. He was a rogue. Runako has been walking the many lands of Africa on his own for a long time. He didn't want to settle with a pride for he had a life mission to complete before he could even think of it.

The white lion lies down on his belly again and stares at his own reflection from the waterhole. He could see the many battle scars all around his face and body. That was one of the many prices of being a rogue: Runako had to hunt for his own food; sometimes being difficult for him to bring down his prey, and sometimes he was unable to bring it down at all. There were times he walked into a lion pride or other animal's territory, leaving him no choice but to battle a pride member or members to get out of there, and sometimes he'd get bruised up pretty badly. There were other times, however, that he'd get lucky by finding a place that had easy prey to bring down, and finding a good enough den to rest in, without worrying about pride members living there; he could just scare the other animals away. Even though all that's good for any rogue to feel blessed with, Runako wouldn't stay there for long. He had something very important and personal to take care of.

Runako gets up in all four legs and walks back to the deep jungle, on his way back to the little cave that makes it his temporary den. He finally got that loud, irritated ringing out of his ears; it was a big relief for him. A few hours ago, when Runako was out exploring the unfamiliar rain forest, searching for an easy prey for an evening meal, he discovered a rather interesting creature: It was walking on two legs, odd-looking coat of fur on it, a small yellow mane on its head, and carrying a long grey stick. At first Runako was interested at the creature for he had never anything like it before. It reminded him so much of a mandrill, but this creature standing before his eyes was a lot different: the creature was taller, hardly had any fur on itself, and had no tail.

Runako was then watching the mandrill-like creature's movements. It had seen him and was slowly pointing its "stick" at him. Runako wasn't comfortable at what the mandrill-like beast was doing. Taking no chances, the white lion roared at the beast, causing the beast to jump – at which a loud, powerful sound was heard. The strange sound had terrified Runako and he took off. As he ran, he had heard the strange, loud sound again. He ran with all his might to get away from the area where that strange creature was at. Whatever that strange noise was, Runako knew it wasn't good. After he had run for ten minuets, Runako slowed down and stopped. He checked his surroundings with his eyes and ears (although it was difficult for him to use his ears, due to the loud ringing) to find out if the mandrill-like creature had followed him, but thankfully it didn't.

Now, after finding no prey to hunt and the ringing in his ears have finally ceased, Runako had reached his little den and was turning in for the night. He lies down with his head staring outside the cave's mouth, looking at the stars. This was the strangest day he's ever had.

"I'm sorry, sis," He said out loud to the night sky. "I haven't found them yet, but I will. Soon. Very soon. They're gonna pay for what did to you. You have my word."

Then he closed his eyes and went to sleep, dreaming back to the time he had a pride, a family – before he found his niece and nephew crying right next to the bones of their mother…

* * *

**End of chapter. The next one would be focused on Kodi again. A big thank you to everyone who's been giving me such wonderful reviews. It's your reviews that's keeping me writing more. I never thought this story would do so well. Thank you.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey everyone! Miss me? I am so sorry for the INCREDIBLY long wait. I know it has been almost a year since I last updated. Well, you see, so MANY things have happened to me that I don't even where to start. But I'll save you the boring stuff. I know what you guys want, and here it is. CHAPTER 13!!! Well...only half of it. The one REALLY crazy thing that happend in my life was that my laptop's busted and doesn't work anymore. Thankfully I got the file of this chapter out of it and put in my parents' computer before it happend. Unfortunately I can't finish this chapter on it, because my parents need their computer for work. They only given me enough time to upload the chapter. So, this is what I've worked on. It takes place with Kodi again. Enjoy.**

* * *

_It was a beautiful sunny day out on the great, majestic land of Alaska; the small, pleasant town of Nome was just as peaceful as it was any other day in the late summer. The townspeople were busy doing their usual routines: Men were working hard to provide for their families, women were cleaning and cooking for their husbands and children, and the young toddlers were out playing catch with their dogs or doing other fun activities with their friends. Nothing out of the ordinary was happening in that small town located on the very northwestern region of the Great Land, and that was just how everybody liked it – especially for one litter of rascals in particular._

_In the outskirts of Nome, out along the coast was an old, abandoned fishing boat that was just about the same age as Nome itself (twenty-four years old, to be précised) and outside the boat, out on the sandy beach, were six little pups playing with eachother and having a fun time._

_Five of the six pups had the colors and markings of Siberian Huskies, while only the sixth (although they were indeed blood related) had the colors and markings of a wolf: Two girls and three boys had brick-red colors on their topcoats, whip-cream-white colors on their undercoats, muzzles, and paws, and with brown eyes – inherited from their mother. The wolf-like pup, a girl, had a light brown topcoat, a grey undercoat, muzzle, and paws, with dark brown ears and golden blue eyes – inherited from her father._

_The cute little pups were playing in groups: Four pups were playing over for an old cloth that was once part of the sail of the old boat, while the other two pups were playfully wrestling eachother. If any humans happen to walk by and see them, they'd find it the cutest thing they have ever seen._

_Right when she pinned him down, the wolf-like girl pup got on top of her brother's head and then started howling. The boy pup struggled to get his sister off of him. The wolf-like pup just simply got off her brother once she was finished._

"_Jeez, Aleu, why do you always have to get on top of me just so you could howl?" her brother asked in annoyance as he rubbed his head._

"_Sorry, Kodi," Aleu said, giggling. "You know I can't help myself. Whenever I feel happy, sad, excited, or anything else I just have to howl."_

"_Yeah, well, do you have to be on top of my head to do it?"_

_Aleu giggled again and licked her brother's left cheek._

"_No, but I'd like to be on top of something whenever I howl, and you just happen to be right there sometimes."_

_Kodi pounced on Aleu and then they both started tickling eachother's bellies and playfully bite eachother's ears, laughing the entire time like any carefree pup would do. The rest of Kodi and Aleu's siblings saw what they were doing and joined in. After about fifteen minuets of rough housing, Aleu once again managed to get on top of not only Kodi, but also her other brother Dingo, and she let out a long howl that was full of excitement and victory. Her siblings Saba, Luna, and Jenner stopped playing and watched her in awe. When she was done Aleu jumped off her brothers and chuckled happily. Kodi and Dingo growled in annoyance as their siblings all laughed._

"_How does she do it, Kodi?" Dingo asked. "How does she get on top of us every time?"_

"_Who knows?" Kodi replied. "Girl luck, I guess."_

"_All right, what's going on here?" came the gentle yet firm voice of the pups' beloved father._

_Balto had come out of the old home, which was his home, and walked up to his offspring and inspected every single one of them. By seeing his two sons rubbing their heads, he immediately knew what had happened._

"_Aleu, what have I told you about jumping on top of your brothers so you could howl?" He asked in a parenting tone._

"…_Uh, don't do it?" Aleu said in an innocent tone._

"_And why are you doing it when you know not to?"_

"…_Uh, sorry, Papa, I couldn't help myself," Aleu said. "I won't do it again."_

_Balto let go of his firm expression and then a big grin spread across his muzzle. He could never stay angry at any of his pups, regardless of what mischief they caused._

"_All right, now apologize to your brothers," He told his daughter firmly._

_Aleu looked at Kodi and Dingo with low ears._

"_Sorry, guys," She said in a low voice._

"_That's okay, Aleu," Kodi and Dingo said in unison._

"_Well, since that's settled, all six of you continue playing until your mother gets back from the picnic with Rosy," Balto told them. "She should be here just before dark."_

"_Hey, Dad, wanna play tag with us?" Kodi said. "I want you to see how fast I can run now."_

"_Maybe later, son," Balto said, making a big wide yawn. "But right now, I'm gonna take a little nap. I'll send Uncle Boris to play with you guys. Okay?"_

"_Okay," the pups agreed in unison. They loved playing with their "Uncle" Boris._

_Their father then went back to up to the boat and went inside the steering room, which served as his bedroom. A few seconds later Boris the snow goose came down the plank of the boat, and all six pups immediately ran up to him and started playing with him._

_The pups continued playing with Boris until he shouted at them to stop tearing him up like a chew toy. They just started their teething stage early that morning._

"_Okay, I think that's about enough ol' Uncle Boris could take for today, bird chicks," He told the pups as he pushed his ruffled feathers on his wings back into place. "You six carry one without me. I'm gonna go take a nice, relaxing swim. Don't go too far. Always stay by the boat. Understand?"_

"_Yes, Uncle Boris." replied the pups in unison._

"_That's my bird chicks. Have fun."_

_And with all that said, Boris walked toward the ocean and swim away._

_The pups then decided to play with the old cloth again: Aleu was the first to get it; she started running with it in her mouth while her brothers and sisters were chasing her. Kodi was catching up to her: he managed to bite onto the cloth, then he and Aleu started fighting over for the cloth as they struggle to pull it from eachother's mouths. Soon, it was Kodi that became the victor. He then started to run away with it, but he tripped on his own feet and started rolling a foot away. Kodi spitted out the cloth and some sand that got into his mouth when he rolled as he got up on all four legs again. His siblings went up to him._

"_You okay, Kodi?" Saba asked in concern._

"_I'm okay," Kodi replied with a bit of irritation in his voice._

"_You sure?" Dingo said. "You seem mad."_

"_I said I'm fine!" Kodi shouted. "Do I need to say it again and again!?"_

_His siblings were taken aback by his unexpected outrage. Kodi lowered his head when he realized what he just did._

"…_I'm sorry," He said in a low voice._

_None of his siblings responded to that. Aleu walked up in front of Kodi and faced her siblings. _

"_Kodi just needs to be by himself for a little while," she told them. "So, you guys go play somewhere else."_

_Without saying anything, Dingo, Saba, Luna, and Jenner walked off. Aleu looked back at Kodi._

"_Thanks, sis," He said._

"_No problem," Aleu beamed._

_Kodi then started walking away from the boat with his head down – on the opposite side of Nome._

"_Hey! Where're you going?" Aleu called out._

"_To be somewhere by myself," Kodi answered._

"_The heck you are!" Aleu said, striding to the right side of her brother. "I'm coming with ya!"_

"…_Alright, fine,"_

_Kodi knew better than to argue with his sister. Aleu always had a stubborn side that she rarely shows, but when it comes, it was always a losing battle to beat. Besides, deep down, Kodi really wanted her company. Their other siblings watched them walked farther away from the boat, but they didn't follow them or shouted for them to come back. This wasn't the first time Kodi and Aleu walked off together. They always seemed to come back before their parents or Boris noticed them missing._

_The two pups finally stopped walking when they were about thirty feet away from the boat. Kodi stared out into the ocean with a sad expression on his rust and cream-colored face. Aleu looked at him then looked to see if he was staring at anything peculiar, but all she saw were a couple of seagulls hovering the seaside, and some fish swimming in the sea. Suddenly Aleu heard Kodi pounding the water continuously with his right paw; angry grunts were escaping Kodi's throat as he did so._

"_Kodi, stop it!" Aleu cried. "You're acting stupid!"_

"_I don't get it!" Kodi yelled. "I thought I finally could run without falling! How am I gonna be lead dog of a sled team when I keep tripping on my own paws!? Why do I still trip when nobody else does!? Why!? Why!? Why!?"_

"_KODI!" Aleu shouted to get his attention. "Stop acting like it's the end of the world! So what if you keep tripping every now and then!? Everybody does – even me! That doesn't mean you'll keep falling forever!"_

_Kodi was petrified of his sister's sudden change of mood. He then felt really ashamed of himself after Aleu had pointed that out to him. Both of them were quiet for about a minuet before the boy pup spoke again._

"…_I'm sorry, Aleu," He said. "It's just that I thought with all those lessons I had with Dad, I'd never trip on my own paws again. When I got that cloth from you, it felt like I could run forever, and nothing would stop me. That turned out to be the biggest mistake of all time…"_

"_Kodi, you silly boy…" Aleu giggled._

_She then nuzzled his face in a sisterly way._

"_You could run as fast as you want to. I watched you and Papa run. You're just as fast as him! Papa's a really good teacher: Whenever you both run, you look like you could run the whole wide world five times without even stopping."_

"_Yeah, I know," Kodi said, smiling at that thought. "Whenever I run with Dad, I feel like I could actually do it."_

_Kodi remembered when he was four weeks old he'd always trip on his own paws whenever he was running with his siblings. No matter how hard he tired, the pup would just lose his balance every time he runs. Because of that, he stopped running and just watched his siblings chase eachother and have a great time without him. His father saw how sad Kodi was and showed him a few pointers on how to run without gravity (literally) bringing him down. Balto even took Kodi to the forest where he could practice, and have some alone time, together. As each lesson/father and son time took place, Kodi grew more confident of himself, and eventually started dashing like a true lead dog. His father couldn't have been more proud of him…_

"_And remember what Papa always tells us about falling?" Aleu asked._

_Kodi nodded._

"'_We all fall, so we could learn to pick ourselves up.'" Kodi quoted the exact words Balto told him and his siblings._

"_See? You get it now," Aleu told him. "So stop ripping yourself apart. Just keep on running. And before you know it, you could outrun and outsmart the other dogs, just like Papa did when he brought back the medicine."_

"_Yeah, right – I could never be as cool and awesome as Dad was."_

"_But that doesn't stop you from trying, does it?"_

_Kodi smirked._

"_Nope."_

_Then they stared out into the beautiful, clear ocean in silence once again. Both brother and sister wanted to spend some more alone time together, before they go back to the old boat. This was their last day they have freedom together: Tomorrow, Kodi and Aleu, as well as the rest of their siblings, will be sold to human families as pets. All of the pups couldn't wait to have their own humans, especially Aleu. Ever since their mother announced the news to the pups the night before, Aleu started dreaming of all the exciting things she and her human could do together: Play fetch, run around town, pull sleds, and so on. Thinking of that was making the wolf-like pup more thrilled and inpatient about tomorrow. Kodi looked at Aleu and smirked at the high-spirited expression on her face._

"_Bet I know what's on your mind, sis." He said. "What you and your human are gonna do first when he or she takes you to his or her home, right?"_

"_You got that right!" Aleu beamed. "Whatever my human wants me to do, I'll do it! As long as we're together and I know that I'm loved, there's nothing I wouldn't do for him, her or both."_

_Kodi laughed._

"_Yeah. And I sure hope what ever human adopts me, he or she will let pull sleds on the sled team. I really, really, really, really, really, _really_ hope he or she does!"_

"_Really, Kodi?" Aleu asked, giggling._

_Instead of answering her, Kodi pounced on Aleu, and once again, they started tussling eachother with carefree laughs as they did. When they finally ceased, the two siblings lied on their backs, eyeing the sky: the sun was just about to disappear behind the mountains; twilight was on its way._

"_Let's go back, Aleu," Kodi told his sister, getting back up. "Mom should be coming to get us, and Dad's probably gonna wake up any minute now. You know he likes sleeping a lot."_

"_Yeah, you're right," Aleu said, getting up as well. "But before we do, let's promise something."_

"_Huh?" Kodi asked with a confused look. "Promise what?"_

"_That no matter whoever adopts us and/or wherever we would go when we're grown-ups, we would never forget eachother," Aleu informed. "We would always remember everyone who is wonderful to us, and we would think of them all the time. This would be the strongest memory we would ever have, Kodi, do you promise?"_

_It didn't even take a second for Kodi to answer._

"_I promise. Even if we get old and cranky like Uncle Boris, even if ours humans take us _billions_ of miles away from eachother, I'd never forget you, Dingo, Saba, Luna, Jenner, Dad, or Mom. And besides, who could ever forget your silly howls?"_

_From hearing that Aleu jumped on top of her brother and they started wrestling again – and, once again, Aleu howled on top of her brother's head._

"_Hey! Dad told you not to do that!" Kodi shouted after she got off him._

"_Papa's napping, silly," Aleu giggled. "So it's not gonna hurt him. Besides, I felt like howling on you since it'll be the last time."_

_Kodi attempted to pounce on her again, but this time Aleu got out of the way and dashed toward the boat._

"_Race you back!" She shouted as she ran. "Last one there has to listen to Uncle Boris' boring stories!"_

"_Hey! No fair, Aleu!" Kodi shouted as he chased after her. "You got a head start!"_

_Back on the beach where the boat was located, the four pups were playing with eachother. Balto was still sleeping in the steering room and Boris was still swimming in the ocean. Kodi and Aleu ran up to their siblings (with Kodi being inches ahead of Aleu) and joined in. Five minutes later their mother, Jenna, arrived with a wooden picnic basket in her mouth. All six pups ran and circled her as made her way close to the boat._

"_What's in the basket, Mom?" Dingo asked._

"_Is it for us?" Saba asked._

"_It smells good," Kodi said. "My tummy's grumbling now!"_

"_Now, now – patience, children," Jenna told them after she set the basket down. "This is for all of you, but we need you're father here, first. Where is he?"_

"_Dad's sleeping up in the boat," Saba replied._

"_Oh, your father," Jenna said, shaking her head. "Always falling asleep…"_

_The pups stopped and sat in a circle around their mother as she yelled out their father's name in a loud yet gentle tone. They soon heard some rustling inside the steering room, then they saw Balto putting his two front paws on top of the rail, looking at them with a tired expression on his brown and grey face._

"_Good evening, sleepy head," Jenna greeted. "Just couldn't keep your eyes open long enough to spend time with your pups on their last day, could you?"_

"_Oh, right," Balto said, making a big yawn. "Guess I slept in longer than I wanted to..."_

_He then jumped down the boat and walked toward his family. The pups went to greet their father and started jumping on him and playfully bite his ears._

"_Ouch! Okay, okay, cut it out, you guys," Balto laughed, his tone was never hard. "Let me stretch first, at least."_

_The six little rascals got off him and waited. When he was done stretching, Balto went and nuzzled his lovely mate._

"_Sorry about that, Jenna," He said. "I didn't mean to sleep for so long."_

"_This is worrying me, Balto," Jenna said with concern. "You've been sleeping a lot longer than usual, lately. And you always look tired after waking up. You sure there isn't anything serious happening in your dreams?"_

"_Jenna, I already told you – it's nothing," Balto informed, but not unkindly. "It's just something crazy I'm going through, right now. It'll be gone before you know it. I promise."_

"…_Well…if you say so…" Jenna said, still concerned about this._

"_That's my girl," Balto said, nuzzling her again. " So, what's inside the basket?"_

"_I figured since this is our last day together as a family, we should have a picnic of our own," Jenna said. "Rosy had saved enough leftovers for all of us."_

"_Yay! We're gonna have a picnic!" The pups cheered._

_Balto and Jenna chuckled._

"_Say, where is Boris?" the wolfdog asked, looking around._

"_He went swimming, a little while ago," Kodi replied._

"_Figures…" Balto whispered to himself, shaking his head._

"_Should we go get him, Papa?" Aleu asked._

"_Nah, lets leave him be," Balto said, thinking that his feathery guardian/friend wouldn't feel right seeing a cooked chicken, let alone eating one. "We'll just save him a biscuit when he gets back."_

_The family then walked on up to the grass fields, with Balto carrying the basket. When they found a nice comforting spot, Balto placed the basket down, and pulled out a folded red and white checkered sheet from the basket with his teeth. With one quick motion of his head, Balto unfolded the sheet and placed it neatly on the ground. Jenna then placed the basket in the middle of the sheet and everyone went and sat around the basket._

_The pups' tails were wagging and their mouths were watery as they waited for their parents to bite small enough pieces of the cooked chicken for them to eat._

"_Here you go, son," Balto said to Kodi when he placed the chicken in front of him._

"_Thanks, Dad," Kodi said._

"_And this is for you, Aleu," Jenna said when she placed the chicken in front of her daughter._

"_Thanks, Mama."_

_Once everyone was given their share of the food, the Balto family began to eat: Everything was delicious; the pups were really grateful that Rosy and her parents saved good leftovers for them, not that they usually don't. Rosy and her parents were always good to the pups, and would spoil them every now and then, especially since this was their last night sleeping in Rosy's house._

_Kodi was halfway finished with his food when he asked, "Hey, Dad – when we're done, you wanna play tag with us now?"_

"_Yes, son, I'll play with you guys," Balto replied. "I did say I would."_

"_Yay!" the pups cheered._

"_Are you gonna play with us too, Mama?" Aleu asked._

"_But of course, dear," Jenna replied. "Your father can't always be the only one to have fun with you guys."_

_The pups cheered again. They were all very happy now, especially Kodi: They're having a wonderful picnic, they're gonna play tag, and once it's nighttime, Balto and Jenna will tell them a marvelous bedtime story, just like they always do. Nothing could possibly ruin this great day._

_Or so Kodi thought…_

_While everybody was still eating, out of nowhere, Kodi heard a loud, horrifying scream. He jumped and frantically looking at his surroundings for the source but saw nothing out of the ordinary and his family looked like they didn't hear anything. In fact, they didn't even notice that Kodi just jumped._

"_Uh, guys, what was that?" Kodi asked._

_No one answered. They just continued gobbling down their food as though he hadn't said a word._

"_Hey!" Kodi cried out. "I'm talking!"_

_Just then another scream was heard, but this time Kodi heard it was coming from inside the woods, and he also heard something else: vicious loud snarls and cruel, sickening laughter._

_Making a quick decision, Kodi dashed toward the forest, while his parents and siblings carried on eating, still undisturbed. Kodi ran for five minutes and as he ran the noises got louder and longer. Kodi was having a bad feeling about this. Whatever those noises were, they didn't sound anything good at all. Finally when he reached a clearing in the forest, Kodi caught sight of what was making the noises, and what he saw…made Kodi's stomach turn: Three dark, shadowy creatures that resemble so much like dogs, but not entirely, with blood-red eyes, were tearing and eating a white…_lioness_ alive!_

_Kodi couldn't believe this. These monsters were brutally tearing this poor lioness (he doesn't know how he knew what the white animal was called; he just does) to death, and they were enjoying it._

_Throughout the brutal savagery to her body, the ill-fated lioness pleads to the creatures, "…P-Please…stop this…l-let me be…I-I h-have a f-family…t-they need me…"_

_One by one, the shadowy beasts laughed with sounds like thousands of high-screeched crows at their teary victim._

"_And why would we wanna do that?" the middle shadowy creature with a voice that's just so…_unnatural_ said. "We're having way too much fun to stop. So keep on screaming! It's pleasuring us deeply!"_

_Then they went back to ripping out everything the lioness had inside her as she continued crying and screaming. Young Kodi couldn't take this any longer. He felt his entire body building with unbelievable rage he never thought he had before. These beasts need to be stopped once and for all!_

"_Hey!" Kodi yelled at the top of his voice as he charged towards the evil entities. "You leave her alone, you monsters!"_

_One beast sighed and hit Kodi away with his left powerful, shadowy paw like he wasn't even trying, and went back to finish his fowl, murderous deed. The little pup was sent flying in the air and landed hard on the ground a foot away from the beasts and the dying lioness. Kodi tried to get back up, but he found that couldn't move his body for some reason. He was stuck on the spot he landed on, and could not do anything. He tried shouting for his father, mother, siblings, anyone to help him, but discovered that no sound was coming out of his mouth – not even a whimper._

_The gruesome brutality went on. Kodi had to at least close his eyes just so he didn't have to see it, but he couldn't drown out the lioness' loud, shrieking cries of agony, and the beasts' high laughter of glee._

_Finally after what seemed like an eternality, the grisly noises ceased. Hesitating, Kodi opened his eyes and stared at the sight before him: There was nothing left of the now-deceased lioness except her chewed-up bones and some blood on the ground. The three dark abominations were busy licking whatever blood they had on their lips and fangs, grinning at a job well done. Kodi's cheeks were soaked with tears from witnessing the entire ordeal. He felt like he was gonna throw up everything he had inside his little body._

I'm a failure… _He thought miserably. _I couldn't save her…

_Soon the monsters eyed the sorrowful pup and let out their horrible laughs at him._

"_Some hero, you are, kid," the first one said._

"_Yeah, one of a kind, just like your old man," came the second. "If I were you, I'd let the sorrow drown me."_

"_Good try, little puppy," concluded the third._

_Then the three bloodlust abominations walked off back into the forest, laughing as they did. Kodi wanted to stop them, but he couldn't because he lost his strength and his voice._

_Suddenly he heard some others noises coming from the lioness' corpse. He jerked his head and saw two cubs, a lion and a lioness, crying as they rubbed their heads on the skull of their mother._

"_Mommy! Why Mommy!?" the lion cub cried._

"_They ate Mommy! They ate Mommy!" the lioness cub cried. "Whey did they have to eat Mommy!?"_

_Soon both cubs spotted Kodi and slowly walked toward him._

"_Why, hyena!?" the lion cub roared with rage. "Why did you have to kill our mom!?"_

"_Our mommy means everything to us!" the lioness cub cried. "We want our mommy back!"_

"…_Wha – no!" Kodi said, slowly getting his voice. "I-I t-tried to save…"_

"_You let your kind eat our mother!" the lion cub roared._

"_No…! I'm not…I didn't…!"_

_Just then, in a blink of an eye, the cubs have grown into the young adults, Suka and Lea._

"_Because of you, hyena, my mom's dead, and that's why I'm so angry and miserable all the time!" Suka yelled._

"_Because of what had happened to our mother, my father and pride's always unhappy and don't trust anyone, especially you!" Lea cried._

"_No…!" Kodi begged, curling into a little ball. "I'm not them! I'm not them!"_

_Then the last thing he saw was Suka charging at him with his sharp fangs…_

Kodi jerked upward, which soon turned into a big mistake: his still-aching ribs screamed in pain, punishing him for doing that. The husky hissed as he tried to get comfortable again so his ribs would stop hurting. Once he did, Kodi looked at his surroundings: He was back in the White Clouds' den where all the white felines were sleeping soundly. It was still nightfall.

Kodi saw Lea sleeping close to him, undisturbed from the noises he had made. Kodi panted as he tried to get a hold of himself.

"It was just a dream," He kept muttering to himself. "Just another stupid dream…"

This was the fifth time Kodi had woken up (and his ribs hurting him from jumping upward) from a bad dream. They all started with good memories of his past: when he first joined the dog sled team and meeting his new friends, Dusty, Ralph, and Kirby; when he and his father spent some quality time together when he was a pup; when he and Aleu would play hide-and-seek in the woods on his free time from pulling sleds, with their friends – two polar bears named Muk and Luk; and when he, his dad, and his team beat the bush plane in a race, saving their jobs. They were all different dreams at first, but all soon changed into the same thing in the end: three dark entities slaughtering a lioness, and Suka and Lea would come and accuse Kodi for being the responsible for their mother's brutal murder.

Kodi felt himself getting frustrated by everything he's been through. He couldn't understand why he's having these crazy dreams-turned-into-nightmares. He knew he wasn't responsible for Suka and Lea's mother death, but…the dreams keep making it feel like was.

"But I'm not!" Kodi muttered loudly. "I didn't do it! I didn't kill their mother! It was those…things…!"

He's only been in these lands for three days and it's already driving him crazy! He just wants to go find his dad and get the hell out of there.

Soon his ribs were hurting him again. Kodi tried to calm himself to cease the pain.

"…Just wait until morning," He mumbled again. "Wait for this Dalila to look at my injuries and find out what I need to do to get better. And once that's over, I'm defiantly out of this hellhole for good!"

Kodi then rested his head on his paws, waiting for sleep to take over him again (and hoping he won't have anymore nightmares). But before it did, Kodi felt really sad and lonely at that moment. He wished he was a pup again and playing with his siblings – especially playing with Aleu. For the first time in a long time, Kodi truly missed his sister. He finally went back to sleep, dreaming of him and her playing together again…

* * *

"What!? I have to stay here for five more days!?" Kodi shouted at Dalila the mandrill medicine shaman, outraged. "You gotta be kidding me!"

"I'm terribly sorry, young man, but you're in no condition to go anywhere right now," She explained. "Your wounds are healing fine, but your ribs are deeply bruised from the impact you received from that battle you had with Prince Red yesterday. You can't even walk two steps without flinching. And you couldn't keep a straight face when I asked you get up and let me examined you."

"But you don't understand," Kodi pleaded. "My father is all by himself in the jungle. He's probably in trouble right now for all I know. I have to find him, and I don't care what you say – I'm going!"

Kodi tries to get up and walk out of the White Clouds' den, but no more than a step when his injured ribs started screaming in pain, causing him to flinch and collapse from where he was standing. Kodi then started moaning in pain as he tries to lie in a comfortable position so his ribs would stop hurting. Dalila shook her head as he did so.

"You finally understand now, Kodi?" She said. "I may not know what it's like where you're from, but here you wouldn't last five minuets with those injuries."

"Alright, alright," Kodi said with tears in his eyes from the pain he's feeling, and the fact that he can't look for his father and leave this place once again. "…I'll stay."

"Good. Wise choice." Dalila said.

She then reached into her handmade leather pouch and brought out some fruits and herbs and a little bowl made out of a shell that once belonged to a turtle; she puts the fruits and herbs into the bowl and starts smashing them with a little stick, liquidizing the fruits and herbs. She then puts the bowl right in front of Kodi's face.

"Drink this," the shaman instructed. "It'll lighten the ache in your ribs."

The upset husky went and drank the juice: The stuff may not have tasted great, but he soon felt that his rib weren't hurting as much as before; it was too bad that it didn't make all the pain go away, though.

Dalila then walks toward Talu and Lea, who both had been watching her examining Kodi and hearing her telling him the bad news in silence.

"His injuries are far worst than I feared," She told Talu. "He's gonna need plenty of rests for about five days. Make sure he doesn't leave the den for anything except for drinking at the waterhole, and, you know, relieving himself. Give him plenty of food. And the most important rule of all, don't let him leave the den without supervision. I fear that he may attempt to search for his father when he shouldn't."

"All right, we'll be sure to follow all your rules," Talu said. "Thank you for all your help, Dalila. We are truly grateful for it."

"Yes, thank you so much," Lea said.

"The pleasure is all mine, Your Highnesses," Dalila said, bowing to the former queen and young princess. "I'll return later to check on Kodi, but if anything changes, please come get me."

And with that, the old mandrill left the den. The rest of the lionesses watched her go, and then look back to Talu to hear their instructions. Kora and Suka had already left the den as soon as dawn approached. Kora went to scout the lands alone for the entire day like he always does. Suka just left the cave to be by himself; he cannot stand being around anyone for very long, especially since there's a beast that looks so much like a hyena staying in his home. Kora was no different: He dreads the fact that he has to come home to see the creature that reminds him so much of the monsters that brutally murdered his beloved mate, but he's gonna let the husky stay to heal since he had saved his daughter's life. But if Kodi starts the slightest bit of trouble, Kora is gonna enjoy ripping the husky's throat out and tasting his blood.

Talu saw that her fellow pride members had their attention on her.

"Things are going to be different for a little while," She stated. "But not entirely different, mind you: You are all free to go about your businesses. However, we all must be sure to keep an eye on Kodi – make sure he is well rested and well fed. He is to be accompanied by someone at all times when he leaves the den for a drink or to relieve himself. He is to have an equal share of meat like the rest of us at every meal. And, most importantly, Kodi is to be respected by all of you, just like he has been respecting all of us from the moment he has stayed with our pride. Am I clear to what I have just said?"

All of the lionesses nodded. They have no objections to anything their former queen had told them. Despite that Kodi looks like the vile species that tortured and murdered their late queen, they have come to realize that the poor husky had indeed saved their princess's life, and has done no harm to anyone since he has stayed with them. And after hearing about his tale from Sauda, who had informed them all about his purpose while Dalila was examining him, the lionesses of the White Clouds have decided they're gonna do whatever they can to help Kodi heal faster.

Kodi felt grateful when he saw all the lionesses agreeing to help him, and yet, he couldn't help but feel miserable also: Even though he knew that Talu didn't mean to sound that way, Kodi felt that the elderly lioness is telling everyone that he's a weak, defenseless pup that needs to be properly taken care of in order for him to survive. Not to mention that he has to wait _five_ more days to finally go search for his missing father.

Karma just seems to be having a good laugh from Kodi since he's been in this strange land…

After that was settled, half of lionesses went out for the hunt while the rest of them walked outside the den to relax out in the sun at it continues to rise up in the sky. Morning was nearly at its end and noon was coming shortly. Kodi tries to get comfortable so his ribs wouldn't ache anymore and lies down on his belly with his head on his paws; he was facing the cave's mouth that was ten feet away from him. He couldn't remember ever being so depressed.

"Is there anything I could do for you, Kodi?" Talu asked when she walked up to him.

"…No, thank you," Kodi replied with low, sad tone.

Talu could see that the husky was in no mood for anything, and surly doesn't want to be bothered at the moment. He was just too hurt (and not just physically but emotionally as well) to think of anything but lying down and rest.

"I'm sorry, Kodi," she said with a low sigh. "I truly am."

Kodi looks at her for two seconds, then slowly turns his head away. Talu made another low sigh, and then left the den without saying another word. Lea was the only lioness still remaining. The White Cloud princess walked toward the sad husky once she saw her grandmother outside of the cave. She saw that Kodi had his eyes closed when she got close to him.

"Hey,"

Kodi opened his eyes and looked up at Lea.

"…Hey," He said back with the same low tone.

"Mind if I lay next to you?" She asked.

"It's still your cave, the last time I checked."

If Kodi wasn't so miserable, Lea would've laughed at his remark. She settles herself down onto her stomach and faces the rust and cream colored canine.

Ever since she had told him about her horrible past last night, Lea has grown to liking Kodi a lot more than before: He had listened to her, comforted her, and most importantly, gave her the courage and hope she needed. She had waited _years_ for somebody (other than her grandmother) to do all that for her. Besides her brother Suka, who really didn't want anything to do with anyone, there were no other lions or lionesses around Lea's age in the pride for her to hang around with, and her father didn't want her hanging out with anyone outside the pride. She was practically all alone after the lost of her mother. Sure, she still had her pride, but it wasn't the same…

Now, Lea doesn't really feel sad and alone anymore; she feels a lot happier than she felt in a long time; not exactly a whole lot but still happy, nonetheless. But, at the same time, she also felt sad for Kodi as well. Lea wants nothing more than to help him get better…and to accompany him to help him search for his father. She feels that she owes him for all the help and kindness he has given her.

"Kodi," Lea spoke up after a minuet of complete silence, "please don't be so hard on yourself. If it's anyone's fault to why you're hurt, it's my brother's…and my fault as well."

Kodi looks up and glares at her.

"I don't care about that, Lea," He yelled. "I'm just upset that I can't go look for my dad for five more days! It's not fair! Why is there always something that's keeping me from looking for him!? I may not fully understand the purpose these 'Great Kings' have for my dad, but doesn't mean he has to do it on his own! I could help him! I'm his son, and he's my father! Dad shouldn't have to be alone doing who-knows-what in this godforsaken place!"

He stopped yelling to catch his breath – and as he did, his ribs started aching again. Lea could clearly see that Kodi was frustrated by all of this, and she couldn't blame him: He had every right to be furious after all the cruel intentions that had happened to him. He deserved a lot better than that.

Kodi then lets out a low sigh once his ribs stopped hurting him.

"Listen, I'm sorry for shouting all that on you," He apologized in a calm tone. "I didn't mean to go out like that. It's just…not only that I can't find my dad, I…I didn't have much sleep, last night."

"It's alright, Kodi," Lea said. "You're upset. I know how that feels, believe me. And you had your true emotions bottled up for so long that it just burst out when it got the chance."

Kodi smirked, remembering those were the same exact words he had given her, last night.

"…Yeah," He said.

Then the husky lowers his head onto his two front paws with the same depressed look on his face, letting out yet another low sigh. Lea was trying to think of something to keep the thought of staying with the White Clouds longer off of Kodi's mind. She hated seeing her friend so down; just seeing him down was making her feel down as well.

"I just can't believe it," Kodi finally spoke up, not looking at Lea. "It seems like every time I try to find my dad, something bad happens. I just don't get it. Why do these things happen to me? Did I do something wrong? Did I kill someone in the past-life or something? Well, whatever I did, I regret doing it now."

"Kodi," Lea spoke up; she waited for him to look at her before she continued, "you didn't do anything wrong. It's just…the Great Kings of the Past have chosen your father for a reason. Maybe this is sort of a sign that he has to help the Pride Lands on his own…for now, at least."

"What are you talking about?" Kodi said. "I was only sent here in the first place because I jumped into that portal thing when I saw my dad going in there. That spirit orb didn't even know I was following them. And the only sign I could see is, 'five days till go finding your dad'."

Kodi made a low, painful grunt when his ribs started hurting him again; it took half a minuet for his soreness to finally cease.

"Look, Lea, maybe you're right," He said in a calmer tone. "Maybe I wasn't cut out for helping my dad with saving these Pride Lands in the first place, but the fact is: I'm here. So I might as well be by side helping him. Don't you think so?"

"Yes. But arguing and being angry about it won't make you heal any faster or feel any better, Kodi," Lea pointed out. "Take it from someone who knows a lot about anger. So for right now, just try to keep calm and rest. That way you'll be good enough to start helping him with whatever the Great Kings have requested him for."

"…Yeah, you're right, Lea," Kodi said. "There's no point of me being cranky by all of this. I'll just have to accept the fact that I have to lighten up and sleep for five more days. And once those five days are over, you could bet on your tail that I'm up and out of here."

Lea smirked and nodded.

"I'll be sure to bet on that."

Kodi then once again lays his head on his paw, as did Lea. They'd look at eachother every once in a while and then quickly look at either the ground or the walls of the den as time went on. Lea was getting restless. She wanted to talk to Kodi more about something. Anything. She just couldn't think of a good conversation…until finally it hit her.

"Tell me about him," she spoke out.

"Huh?" Kodi asked, looking at the lioness. "What did you say?"

"Tell me about your father," Lea replied. "What's he like? How strong is he? How much love and care did he give you and your siblings? That kind of thing."

Kodi gave her a confused and puzzled look.

"Uh, why do you wanna know all that?" He asked.

"Because from what you already told me about him," Lea explained, "he seems like a great guy – perfect enough for the Great Kings of the Past to choose him out of anyone else. So I'd like to know more about your father. And besides, I already told you about my past and my family; I think it's only fair you do the same. Not to mention that there's nothing else for you to do than lie here and stare at the den's walls and ground." She added with a smirk.

Kodi looked at his surroundings and back at the smart-alecky lioness. She couldn't have been more right about him.

"Okay, okay, you got me," He said with a chuckle. "I'll tell you all about him."

The injured husky then started thinking of what he should first say about his father. There were so many things he could tell Lea about Balto: the brave, noble hero who saved all of Nome's children by guiding the dog sled team that was carrying the medicine back through a treacherous storm. The wonderful father that loved and cared for all his children equally. The wolfdog who taught everything Kodi knows about being a true member of a dog sled team. The list was endless…

* * *

**To be continued. Again, sorry for the short chapter. It wasn't suppose to end like this, but my laptop just got messed up and refuses to work. Once I save enough to get a new laptop, I'll get straight to work on finshing the rest of this chapter. And HOPEFULLY it won't take 10 months to do it. A big thank you to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, and alerted my fanfic. You guys are the best! Please review. I want to hear from eveyone of what you guys think of this chapter.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Hi there. Well, after months of hard, stressful work, I've finally completed chapter 14/part 2. Yay!! Being part 2 and all, it picks up right where I left off in chapter 13. Now, let me try to clear up a few things before you start reading, please. As I already explained in my last chapter, my old laptop broke and no longer works, but thankfully I saved the half-finished chapter 13 on a flash drive and uploaded onto my parents' computer. Well, my parents use their computer for work, so I couldn't actually use it to write. They only let me have enough to upload the chapter, and then I had to go and buy a new laptop. So, because of that, I failed to mention a few things I wanna do to this fanfic.**

**First, because this story is sort of turning dark, I've decided to change the rating to a 'T' and I wanted to add some swearing in the story. Not meaning I'm gonna make the characters into real potty mouths, but more like have say a cuss word or two if need be. So if I surprised anyone by the characters' swearing and didn't like it, I apologize.**

**Second, in this chapter, Kodi will tell Lea about Balto's rough pup-hood. This is sort of like a rewrite to when I first wrote this story. I reread my story and everytime I read it, I'd look away and say, "God, I used to write like **_**this**_**, and yet, people still read it and enjoy it!?" Obviously back then, I had poor writing skills and I get ashamed of it when I look back. Anyway, I didn't like how I explained Balto's past and I wanted to rewrite it in a better way. And besides, I think it'll help Kodi get through the five days. You'll find out soon enough. And don't think that's all I wrote in this chapter; there's a lot of funny stuff, and a big surprise in the end. I think you'll like it.**

**Anyhow, that's all I have to say. On with the chapter!**

* * *

"…Well...I guess I could start by telling you that if you think I resemble my dad in any way, forget it," Kodi began. "I don't look anything like him. I inherited all my traits from my mom."

"Really?" Lea asked, stunned. "So what traits does your dad have?"

Kodi tried to think of an easy way to tell her.

"I guess the best way to describe my dad's features is to tell you about his pedigree, first. You see, my dad isn't a purebred husky. He's only half. My mom's the purebred. My dad is actually part Siberian Husky and part Alaskan Arctic Wolf. A wolfdog, to make it simple."

Lea was dumbfounded. She did not see this coming at all. But then again, who would? Lea had known Kodi for only three days, and this was the first time he was explaining his family tree.

"I know. Shocking, isn't it?" Kodi said, smiling at the stunned expression on the princess's face he was all too familiar with.

"…Well, it's not like I see your kind, everyday," Lea pointed out. "So I can't say I'd know a husky or a 'wolf', or even a 'wolfdog' when I see one. But it'll be even harder for me to recognize either of those two since you and your father are both…mixed breeds."

Kodi laughed.

"Yeah, but like I said, I look more like a husky than a wolf; so you really wouldn't have much trouble telling the difference. I think I only have a quarter of wolf in me. Heck, where I'm from, no dog who doesn't know me or my dad would have the slightest idea that I'd have any wolf heritages in me whatsoever. Whenever I'd tell the other dogs that I'm the son of the great Balto, you wouldn't believe the looks and laughs I get from them everytime: They'd accuse me of pulling their legs, or I got a couple of screws loose in my noggin – until I introduce them to Dad, that is. Right then, the dogs would say that they now see the resemblance. It bugs me everytime, knowing they're just saying that."

Lea chuckled.

"Sounds like it could get real annoying when you tell someone who your father is, back in your homeland," She said. "No wonder you called yourself a husky when we first met."

"Oh, yeah, about that," Kodi said. "Since I look more of a husky than a wolf, I just tell anyone I don't know I'm a husky so I don't have to waste time convincing them otherwise, unless I need to or I've become good friends with them; that's when I tell them. I just said I was a husky because it's a habit to me now. I'm sorry for not telling you sooner."

"It's okay, Kodi," Lea said, giggling. "I understand why you did it. Shoot, if my father was half lion and half…uh…baboon, I'd probably tell everyone I'm a full lioness if I look like one. Do you have any idea how embarrassing it would be to tell everyone I'm related to a grumpy big red-butted kook?"

Kodi chuckled and Lea soon joined in. He couldn't believe that Lea was gladly accepting him for who he and his father were – even before knowing all the heroic deeds Balto had done. It felt real good not having to feel discriminated by it. It was bad enough to be treated like a monster by Kora and Suka just because he looked like those soulless, murdering hyenas.

"Anyway," Kodi continued, stretching a little so his bruised ribs would get a little more comfortable, "I should get back to telling you about my father's wolf side. I think I'm jumping ahead too fast, aren't I?"

"Yeah, it was starting to get a little confusing," Lea admitted.

"Alright, as I was saying, wolves look just like huskies, but they have more incredible traits: Wolves are bigger, taller, and stronger; have long, razor sharp fangs; have bigger and longer muzzles; bigger paws, pads and claws; have various fur colors of black, white, and grey; and they live in the wild, meaning they don't follow with humans and their rules. Basically, they live the same way you lions live."

Lea tried her best to picture a Kodi-like beast that had all the elements that portrayed a wolf. The ending results she came up with sent shivers down her spine, making her think of hyenas all over again...

"Oh no, they're not as scary as I made them to be," Kodi explained, clearly seeing the frighten expression on the White Cloud Princess's face. "It's just that detailing things isn't part of my profession for pulling sleds."

Lea let out a sigh of relief.

_Of course wolves wouldn't be that scary and cruel, _She thought. _I shouldn't even _think_ of comparing him to those monstrous hyenas._ _If Kodi really carries the same blood as wolves, then they'd be somewhat as nice, caring and handsome as – wait! Did I say handsome!? _Lea was shaking her head. _No! What I mean is Kodi…he's…well, it's not like he's hideous to look at. In fact, he's quite…_ Her face started glowing red. …_Cute…for a husky…in a way… I'm sure the other girl huskies find Kodi sweet, handsome, charming that they'd be all over – wait! What am I saying!? No… No!_

Kodi stared at Lea with concern as she continued shaking her head while her face was turning as red as his fur.

"Uh…are you alright, Lea?"

The confused lioness stopped and stared at him with her face still glowing, wide eyed.

"Yes, I'm fine," She replied rather too quickly. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"…It seemed like you were getting sick or something, with your face being all red and your head kept shaking like a dog's tail," Kodi pointed out.

Lea jerked her head away from Kodi – her face more flushed than before. How could she be so thoughtless to do something so…_demented_ in front of the injured canine?

"…I'm sorry, Kodi," She spoke out. "I don't know what came over me. I-It's something I can't explain right now. But I won't do it again – I promise."

Kodi didn't want to push on this awkward situation so he told her it was okay, pretending it never happened. Once he saw that Lea had calm down and her face was back to normal, he continued.

"So, as I was saying, my dad's father was a purebred husky, and my dad's mother was a purebred wolf. I never knew either of them; they died before I was born."

"But do you know your grandparents from your mother's side?" Lea blurted out.

"I've never met them," Kodi replied. "They live very far away from my hometown, but that's beside the point of my story."

"Right, sorry…" Lea mumbled; feeling embarrassed again.

"Anyway, my dad only told me about his rough past once, back when I was a pup. So I don't remember everything of what had happened, but I'll tell you what I remember and try to remember. And, please, try to save all your questions until I'm done. Otherwise, I'd be all mixed up trying to answer them, _and_ tell you my story. Alright?"

"I promise. You won't hear a peep out of me."

"Okay, from what my dad could remember, he was only four weeks old when his mother – I think her name was Aniu – was carrying him by the scruff of his neck out in the cold, dark woods in the dead of winter. My dad told me that my grandmother used to live in a pack – that's what wolves call their group and family; like what you lions and lionesses do, expect it's 'pack' instead of 'pride', and the majority of wolves in a pack are males and they mostly do the hunting while the females care for their young.

"Anyway, my grandmother was banished from her pack, because she happened to give birth to an 'abomination' in her pack," Kodi felt a growl growing as he finished that sentence.

"What do you mean an abomination?" Lea couldn't help but ask.

Kodi felt himself getting upset all over again. If there's one thing he hated more than anything, it was anyone insulting the ones he cared for, especially his father.

"…Because my dad had husky blood in him, my grandmother's pack mates didn't consider him part of their clan," Kodi said. "In my homeland, even though we look so much alike, huskies and wolves _loathe_eachother: Huskies – including humans – think wolves are wild, vicious, bloodthirsty monsters that will attack and kill you the second they see you, while wolves think huskies are weak, spineless creatures just because they – myself included – live with humans and we do everything the humans tell us to."

Lea was about to ask Kodi what he meant by that, but she remembered not to interrupt him while he told his story; so she kept her mouth shut.

_This is going to be one long, exciting tale I'm ever gonna hear, _She thought. Lea had no idea how correct she was.

"So because of that stupid grudge, my grandmother had no choice but to leave her pack and take my dad with her," Kodi continued. "If she didn't, one of the wolves from her pack would've killed him – and most likely do the same with her. The only thing my grandmother could do was find another place for her and her son to live. She knew she couldn't stay with another wolf pack, for they wouldn't want a 'half-breed' in their midst. So my grandmother and my dad spent weeks all alone as they searched for a place to call home…"

The White Cloud princess was lost for words. She wanted to say something, but the only that escaped her mouth was air. It was just so sad for her.

"I remember my dad telling me that whenever he and his mother managed to find a place to rest for the night," Kodi explained. "He'd cuddled next to her and she'd nuzzle him as she sang a beautiful melody to him, making him feel that everything was alright, no harm ever would come to him. My dad said that those were the best moments he had with his mom. He loved listening to Aniu as she sang. I had asked him what did she look like and he simply answered that she had such a beautiful, caring voice, and her fur was pure white as snow – like you, Lea."

Lea was shocked. It couldn't help but blush again. Hearing Kodi say that made her felt real…happy beyond belief.

"…W-Why…thank you, Kodi," She said, turning her head away, glowing even brighter than before. "…D-Do you really think so?"

"Of course," Kodi replied. "You and your family's fur are as white as snow on a nice, sunny day."

"…Well, I'm real flattered that you – s-say what!?" Lea blurted out, caught off guard.

"I'm saying that some wolves' fur is as white as lions and lionesses. What did you think I said?"

"…Oh, never mind, I get the picture what your grandmother looks like now," Lea said, feeling rather…disappointed.

"Then…one day," Kodi went on with the story, "a horrible snowstorm blew on them. My dad told me that he'll never forget how strong and cold and scary that storm was: The harsh, icy winds blew fiercely at his body as his mother held on to him tight by the scruff of his neck with her teeth as she desperately looked for shelter. He said that when he was walking, the snow was all the way up to his head and the wind was so powerful that he couldn't see a thing; so Aniu had to carry him the whole way. My dad had his eyes closed the entire time, but he felt little icicles all over himself and heard the winds howl like wild grizzlies. But finally, as night fell over them, my grandmother managed to find a hollow tree with a little den big enough for the both of them.

"Once they made it inside, my grandmother shook all the snow and ice off herself, and then started licking all the icicles off my dad. When he felt her warm tongue on him, he opened his eyes and saw that he was out of the blizzard. He was happy to be somewhere warm and comfy, and then he cuddled right next to his mom as she sang to him, like always. My dad soon realized that he was really hungry. He and my grandmother hadn't eaten anything in days. Aniu knew that her son was starving and promised him that she'd gather food once the storm cleared up. At sunrise my dad and grandmother awoke to a clear blue sky, which was perfect for Aniu to go out and hunt. She told her son to stay in the den until she returned. Dad didn't want to be left all alone, but his empty stomach growled at him to hush up and listen to her. My grandmother told my dad she wouldn't be gone long, and then off she went. My dad then waited and waited – from dawn till dusk, then from dusk till dawn, and when the next morning came, Aniu was nowhere to be seen…"

"What happened to her?" Lea asked; the deal for her to keep quiet had vanished, along with practically everything else in her mind. "Did Aniu ever come back to your dad? Was she in trouble or something?"

"…I don't know. My dad never saw her again, after that. It's possible that she had got into trouble, since she was by herself while hunting. A wolf pack always hunt in groups, and they work together to bring down their prey that's twice their size, easily. But hunting solo, it's almost impossible for a wolf to bring down anything that isn't a hare, and there are plenty of huge predators out in my homeland. So…it could only mean that my grandmother had become the hunted, instead of the hunter…"

Lea gasped and lowered her head. She of all living beings knew exactly what it was like to lose a mother at a very young age. She understood the pain Balto must've felt having to not see her again. It was the most terrible feeling anyone could ever have, and that's just putting it mildly. But unlike Lea, little Balto had no one else to go to. Where the lioness had her grandmother and pride, the hybrid pup had no one; completely isolated in a small den, cold and hungry, and knowing no instincts of survival. It had to have been far too much for him to bear. It was all part of the Circle of Life, Talu once told her. Sometimes Lea wished she could break out of the circle!

Lea looked up and saw a tear falling down Kodi's right cheek.

"Just talking about my father's rough pup-hood got me thinking back to the day when he told me all this," He explained, wiping the tear away with his paw. "We were sitting on top of a mountain, watching the beautiful landscape as the sun went down. Sometimes my dad would take me places while my brothers and sisters would stay with my mom, and it'd be just the two of us. I used to ask him lots of random questions, back then. I had asked him what kind of fun stuff he used to do when he was little; that's when he told me everything. After he explained what had happened to him, I looked up and saw that he was crying a little as he stared out to the sky. I was shocked. I had never seen him cry before. I thought he was the bravest dog there ever was, and nothing would ever make him cry – and just seeing him cry made me cry too..."

Lea could understand. Kodi was just a pup, and from the way it sounded, he really looked up to his old man.

"But when he saw I was weeping, my dad brought me close to him and comforted me and said it's alright, that was a long time ago," Kodi continued. "I then asked him even more questions, the one I mostly remember is what did he do after the second day. My dad answered that he waited one more day for his mother before plucking up all the courage he had and journeyed into the unknown – and that's when he first met Uncle Boris."

"_Uncle_ Boris…?" Lea asked, dumbfounded. "Your father has an uncle, or is he _your_ uncle? And where was he throughout all this?"

Kodi laughed.

"No, no," He explained. "He's not really my dad's uncle, or even related to him. He's not even a husky or a wolf for that matter. Uncle Boris is actually a snow goose – as in, he's a bird."

At that point, Lea was _beyond_ shocked and confused.

"…You know, I'm just gonna let you finish the story," She said after a moment of awkward silence. "And I'm just gonna keep my mouth shut. I'm sure everything will be clear to me once you explained about 'Uncle Boris'_…I hope._"

Kodi laughed again. If he had a piece of beef jerky everytime he surprised someone with his family tree, starvation would be the last of his worries.

"Alright. My dad began exploring the forest in search for food. He didn't want to leave the den, fearing that Aniu might return to see him gone, but his stomach wouldn't stop grumbling until it had a good meal already. My dad had never been out in the woods on his own before; so he didn't know what to expect. He just hoped he could find something good to eat, quick and easy. Somehow he had made it to a creek; from there he started drinking away his thirst. All that was left was to satisfy his hunger.

"Just then my dad heard something strange coming from somewhere close of the creek. He curiously followed the creek to see what was making that sound. Then he saw him: Uncle Boris was in the water, washing himself as he was singing something from his homeland called Russia. I remember Uncle Boris used to tell stories about 'Mother Russia' all the time when he was babysitting me and my siblings. They'd always put us to sleep instantly. Anyway, back to where I was, Dad stared at him for a little bit; then, for the first time, his wolf instincts kicked in: my dad slowly and stealthy walked toward Boris as he continued bathing and singing, with no clue that he had become my dad's first prey.

"It was my dad's hunger that had woken the wolf side in him – his predatory urges. When he first saw Uncle Boris and got a hint of his scent, it was like dozens of signs were displaying 'Fresh Meat' all around Uncle Boris."

"What are signs?" Lea asked.

"I'll tell you later," Kodi replied. "Anyway, my dad was about to pounce on Uncle Boris but he accidently sneezed. Uncle Boris turned around and saw what he thought was a little wolf pup. Dad knew he had made a mistake, but he didn't care. He was starving, and his belly wouldn't stop growling till it was finally full. So he charged at Uncle Boris. Uncle Boris then screamed and swim to the other side of the river. He thought if he did so, my dad would just bark for a little bit and leave – but he didn't. My dad was thinking with his stomach at the time, and didn't know the dangers a river could do to a pup.

"He jumped into the water and soon realized that it was a big mistake. He instantly realized that being in the water was entirely different from walking on dry land: the water was freezing cold, he couldn't breathe under it, and the river's current was keeping him from reaching the other side. My dad struggled desperately to swim out of the river, but the current was making it hard for him. Not to mention that he was also struggling to keep his head up to breathe. The current kept pushing him farther and farther, and my dad didn't remember what had happened after that.

"He said he must've passed out, because he remembered he had woken up inside a cave occupied with the snow goose he tried to eat, and there was a bunch of fish right in front of him. Once the scent reached his nose, my dad didn't hesitate for second as he wolfed down all the fish that was there."

"_Wolfed _down the fish…?" Lea asked, puzzled.

Kodi chuckled.

"Sorry," He said. "It's an old expression the humans and dogs came up with. It means he ate the fish _super_ fast."

"Oh, okay…" Lea said, not quite understanding it.

"Anyhow, my dad just finished the last fish when Uncle Boris walked up to him, chuckling. He knew the little pup was hungry, but didn't think he was on the verge of starvation. Uncle Boris then asked him if he was full enough to not want to eat him, which my dad replied, _'Yes'_. Settled with his answer, he introduced himself as Boris and my dad introduced himself as Balto. Uncle Boris then told Dad he was the one who rescued him from the river, and also the one who gave him all the fish. After that, he went on telling him where he was from and he was just visiting Alaska – that's the name of my homeland, by the way – for a little vacation. Then my dad asked him a very good question, _'Why did you save me when I tried to eat you?'_.

"Uncle Boris simply replied, _'I couldn't just leave a little pup to die in the freezing water, even though it wanted to eat me. It would've haunted me forever.'_ My dad told me he was very grateful his first 'prey' had a good conscience."

"I'll bet," Lea said. "It's not every day someone would want to help someone when that someone was trying to eat that someone."

"…Yeah, exactly," Kodi said, somewhat lost of what the lioness just explained. "Well, once they felt comfortable with eachother, Uncle Boris asked my dad where his parents were. Dad told him that he doesn't have a father, and his mother was out hunting but didn't come back to their den; that's why he was by himself. Uncle Boris was shocked and asked how long had his mother been gone, and my dad said about three days. Uncle Boris then asked if Dad could find his way back to the den, thinking maybe Aniu would possibly be there now. My dad said he wasn't sure but he would try. So then Uncle Boris decided he'd go along with him back to his den, just to be sure he's safe.

"When they got there, Uncle Boris saw no traces of the den had been touched since the pup had left it, and my dad couldn't find a fresh scent of his mother being there recently. Figuring that she had been gone far too long and that she had been hunting by herself, Uncle Boris concluded that Aniu wouldn't be coming back to the den, or to her son. Ever... He then looked down and saw my dad sitting with his head and ears low, saddened of his lost mother. Uncle Boris went to him and started rubbing his back and said, _'Come. There's no reason for us to stay here any longer'_. My dad looked at him, confused. He asked him where were they going. Uncle Boris replied with a smile, '_We're going to find you a new home, boy-chick. And until then, I'll be taking care of you.'_."

"Wow," Lea said, amazed. "That was very kind of him to help your dad, especially when he tried to eat him."

"Yeah," Kodi said. "Uncle Boris may be crazy at times, but he's not a heartless bird. Flightless, maybe – but not heartless."

Lea chuckled and Kodi soon joined her.

"I'd really like to meet him, someday," Lea said. "He kind of reminds me of my grandmother."

"Now that you mentioned it, Lea – yeah he does," Kodi said. "But the big difference between Uncle Boris and Talu is that she doesn't get overdramatic on every little thing."

Lea giggled.

"Nope, she doesn't," She said. "Grandma knows how to treat every situation in a calm and firm manner. Unless she really needs to lose her temper – then you're in trouble."

"Really?" Kodi said, surprised. "I never would've guessed she had a temper."

Lea was dumbfounded.

"Don't you remember, Kodi?" She said. "Grandma almost ripped open my eardrums when she was roaring at Suka for nearly killing you."

"Don't _you_remember, Lea!?" Kodi countered angrily. "I was knocked out from all those injuries your brother gave me! Have you already forgotten that I have claw marks all over my body _and_ my ribs are bruised!? Because I haven't!"

"…Oh, sorry," Lea said, turning her head away in shame. "I didn't mean to be insensitive. It's just that…I thought you heard my grandmother roaring real loud, even while unconscious."

Kodi let out a heavy sigh.

"…Well, I didn't," He said in a calm tone. "And I'm sorry for snapping at you."

"Apology accepted," Lea said, looking at him again. "And, in any case, I'm glad you didn't see or hear her. Grandma gets scary when she's angry."

Kodi smirked.

"Anyway, maybe you'd meet Uncle Boris. If my dad and I got here easily, I don't see a problem for him to come here."

"Yeah, it shouldn't be a problem at all."

"Okay, back to the story: For a long time, my dad followed Uncle Boris everywhere he went," Kodi continued. "The first idea Boris thought of for giving my dad a new home was to find a wolf pack that would be happy to take him in as their own. But remember when I said Aniu knew it wasn't a good idea to go to another pack for her and Dad to live?"

"Yeah, they wouldn't accept them because your dad's part husky," Lea replied.

Kodi nodded.

"Unfortunately, Uncle Boris didn't know that at the time," He went on. "He thought my dad was a purebred wolf who simply lost his parents. So when they finally managed to find a wolf pack, all the wolves threw dangerous glares at my dad and Uncle Boris, and they all growled viciously at them. The alpha male and alpha female – that's what leaders of wolf packs call themselves, instead of 'king' and 'queen' – demanded why they were intruding in their territory –"

"Let me guess, that's another word for 'kingdom' in wolf terms?" Lea cut in.

"Yes, that's right," Kodi said. "Anyway, Uncle Boris explained to the alphas he had found my dad all alone with no one to care for him and was far too young to be on his own, and was humbly asking them if they would like to take him in. Some of the wolves laughed and thought Uncle Boris was crazy: Why would a goose risk his life to enter a wolf pack's territory just to ask them if they'd take in a lone pup? And of all things, why would the goose ask them to take in a _hybrid_ pup?

"The alpha male growled angrily at Uncle Boris and then said they would never take in a pup that had even a single drop of 'tamed' canine blood in him. Uncle Boris didn't understand what he meant by that, and asked him. Both the alpha male and female shouted, '_Can you not see this filth has the traits of those cowardly dogs!?_' I bet you know how my dad felt when those bastards referred him to as filth."

Lea nodded, slightly frightened from hearing the hint of anger in Kodi's voice.

"Uncle Boris still couldn't understand what they had meant, but then he looked at my dad – who was looking down on the snow, crying – and back to the pack of wolves. After looking at them a few times, Uncle Boris finally realized what the alphas had meant. He saw the traits my dad had were different compared to the wolf pack. Then the alpha male and the rest of his pack growled as they slowly walked toward him and my dad. '_Now that you finally understand, bird, take that scruffy filth and leave now. And don't ever walk into our territory again._' the alpha male threatened Uncle Boris. He didn't need to be told twice: he grabbed Dad and bolted out of there."

"Oh my gosh…" Lea said. "That's…that's horrible! How could they be so cruel to him!? He was just a pup! He didn't do any wrong to them! Why did the wolves have to be so heartless!?"

"It's just like already told you, Lea," Kodi replied. "Wolves hate dogs as much as dogs hate them – and a wolfdog gets the worst of it on either side."

"…So what did Boris and your dad do after that?" Lea asked.

"Well, Uncle Boris didn't quit there," Kodi replied. "He took my dad to another wolf pack, but just like the first one, they scared them away. Again and again they tried, but as time went on Uncle Boris saw it was pointless to ask a wolf pack to take in my dad, after like the tenth time. My dad had already given up only after the _fifth_ time. So, as outcasts, they wondered the Alaskan wilderness, searching for a home. Like he promised, Uncle Boris had remained at my dad's side whole time they were searching. Dad told me he thought of Uncle Boris as a father the whole time he was with him.

"About a few months later, in the dead of night, they had stumbled to the outskirts of a town called Nome – my future hometown. My dad and Uncle Boris were walking along the coast when they saw an abandon fishing boat stranded on the shore. Uncle Boris was dead tired and wanted to find someplace safe to crash for the night; so he and Dad went inside the boat to see if it was a good enough place. When they discovered they had it to themselves, Uncle Boris made himself at home and was about to fall asleep, but my dad was wide awake and wanted to explore the mysterious, amazing city. Uncle Boris told him no, however, because he was sleepy and didn't want my dad to wonder the human streets by himself.

"So, while Uncle Boris was sleeping like a log, my dad was trying his hardest to fall asleep, but he couldn't. His curiosity of exploring Nome was driving him mad and simply refused to stop. He couldn't take it anymore, so he got up, sneaked past the snoring goose, and went out to see the fascinating things that lied in Nome."

"Gee, Kodi – you sound more like a traveling storyteller now," Lea commented, giggling. "The way you describe your father's past is like hearing one of Grandma's nighttime stores my brother and I used to listen to."

"Well, you wanted to know what my dad's like, so I figured I should start from the beginning," Kodi pointed out. "And you could also thank my mom for this. She used to tell such awesome stories to me and my siblings every night when we were pups. I guess I must've picked up a few things from her."

"It really shows," Lea beamed.

"Yeah, I guess so," Kodi said, blushing. "Now, where was I?"

"Your dad went to explore this 'Nome' place." Lea replied.

"Right," Kodi said. "Well, my dad wondered the streets of Nome for a little while. He grew very curious when he saw all the houses and shops and mills for the very first time. He never knew such things could exist. As he eyed everything in the sleeping town, his stomach growled at him to go search for food. He hadn't had a decent meal for hours. As if on cue, a new and delicious smell entered my dad's nose, which made his mouth water. He then followed the scent to a building that was a butcher shop.

"The delicious scent led my dad to the back of the butcher shop, and that's when he saw a human for the very first time. The human was chopping some meat with an object called a cleaver – it's like a short stick with a really sharp edge humans use to cut things. My dad was intrigued as to why the human was doing that to the fresh meat, but the mouthwatering smell made him think whatever the reason was, it was without a doubt making the meat a hundred times better. Soon the human stopped chopping and then pulled out a cooked meat from the oven and placed it on the table; then he left the room. My dad thought it was the perfect chance to take the cooked meat and find out if it tasted just as good as it smelled. He then slowly crept inside, grabbed the cooked meat, and dashed as far away from the butcher shop as his paws could take him.

"Once he was out of there, my dad began digging into the meat. He had taught himself how to hunt and had tried different kinds of meat, but nothing as scrumptious as the freshly cooked piece of meat he was chopping his teeth into. He felt like he was in heaven. My dad savored each taste as he ate. About halfway finished with the meat, he heard something. He looked up and saw four silhouettes coming towards him. My dad was afraid. He didn't know who they were and what they'd do if they see him. He first thought it was the butcher accompanied with other humans searching for his missing meat.

"It turned out, however, to be four dogs just simply walking the town's streets. When they caught a glimpse of my dad, the lead black and white dog of the group went up to him. He demanded my father to tell him who he was and what he was doing here. My dad quickly told him he just arrived in town and was exploring it and he meant no harm to anyone. The black and white dog growled and started sniffing him. He then shouted out to his three buddies that they found themselves a wild animal. The others then gathered around my dad and circled him.

"The black and white dog then demanded where he had gotten the meat. My dad replied that he took it from the butcher, because the meat smelled so good. The black and white dog eyed his buddies and growled at my dad. _'That meat isn't for outsiders, especially wolfdogs!' _he shouted at my dad. My dad looked him, puzzled. _'What is a wolfdog?' _he asked. The four dogs laughed at him. _'That's what _you _are!' _one of the three dogs – a gold-colored one – shouted _'Boy, you're just as dumb as you are wild!'._ Then all four dogs began circling my dad as they taunted and laughed at him. And then the black and white dog snatched my dad's meat out of his mouth, and started eating it.

"My dad grew furious of all his and growled viciously at them. _'Give me back my meat! I don't care what you say about me, it's still mine, and I haven't harmed anyone!' _he shouted at the black and white dog. The black and white dog just growled viciously at him in return and ordered his buddies to attack him – and that they did in a heartbeat. They clawed, bite, and scratched him as my dad desperately tried to fight back and escape. Soon the black and white dog ordered them to halt, and looked at my dad straight in eye, _'Get outta here, wolfdog. You have no idea much we dogs and the humans despise wild animals walking around our town. What my pals did to you was merely a warning of what to expect the next time we meet, and for your sake, this had better be the last. Get out of our sights while you have the chance'. _Beaten and warn out, my dad had no choice but to do as he said and limped painfully away.

"When he was far away from the four dogs, my dad collapsed onto the snowy ground with tears escaping his eyes. He had felt totally isolated: his parents were gone, no wolf pack wanted him, and the dogs of Nome don't want him anywhere near their town and he had just found out the humans felt the same way…"

Lea gazed at the canine that had finished telling her his father's sad and painful past, utterly speechless.

"…Kodi, I…I just don't know what to say…" She said in a low voice.

"You don't have to say anything, Lea," Kodi said. "What was done is done – that's what my dad told me when I gave him that same exact look. And besides, as surprising as it may seem, it didn't end badly after my dad got beaten up by those losers."

"It didn't?" Lea asked, again stunned and confused.

"Nope," Kodi replied before continuing. "My dad lay on that exact spot crying for what felt like forever. Just then he heard somebody coming; he thought it was the black and white dog and his pals again, so he tried to get back on his feet and get the heck out of Nome. As it turned out, though, it wasn't those jerks. It was a lone female husky with red and white fur like mine, wearing an orange scarf around her neck. She caught sight of my dad limping desperately away to the outskirts of town. She then walked up to him and asked if he was okay. My dad dared not make eye contact of her, fearing that she too would attack him and shout out he doesn't belong in Nome.

"However, the red and white husky never did any of those things. She looked at him closely and saw that he was injured and then asked, _'Do you need help?'_ My dad told her no and for her to go away. The girl didn't leave, though; she was more concern of my dad's injuries and wanted to help him. _'You're hurt', _she told him, _'Please, let me help you.'_" Soon, my dad collapsed onto the ground from his injuries. He tried anxiously to get up again and continue leaving, but he was simply just too weak to do so.

"The red and white girl dog watched him struggling to get back up; she then stopped him. _'You mustn't overexert yourself. You're making your injuries worst,' _she told him firmly, _'Please, I just wanna help you, that's all'_. And then my dad asked,_'Why? Why do you wanna help me? Can't you see that I'm a wild animal – a wolfdog?'_ And then my moth – uh, I mean, the girl dog said some simple words that changed my dad's entire way of thinking things, _'I know that, but it doesn't mean I shouldn't help you. Every life is precious and shouldn't be taken for granted.'_Right then my dad finally realized that the girl dog really does care for his wellbeing, even though they've only just met.

"So, my dad calmed down and allowed the girl dog to tend to his wounds. She began licking the cuts and bruises with nice, slow, soft, tender strokes. My dad hadn't felt more relaxed in his entire life. It felt like an angel was aiding him. He then finally turned his head around to get a good look at his healer and what he saw made his heart skipped a beat: a young, beautiful girl dog with a slender, well fit body; a cute curly, puffy tail; long, slim legs; and with such beautiful brown eyes that just one look is like a window into her soul."

Lea started giggling.

"What?" Kodi asked.

"The way you're describing this girl dog is a little _too_ well detailed, don't you think?" She pointed out. "Are you sure it was your _dad_ who was injured, or was it _you _who got hurt and a 'beautifully well-fit' female husky helped you with her 'soft and tender' tongue, and you somehow mixed it up?"

"Hey! I was just repeating what my dad described about her!" Kodi protested, blushing furiously. "I must've got carried away from being the storyteller, here!"

"Sure you are, Kodi," Lea teased.

"Look, do you want to hear the rest of my father's story or not?" Kodi said. "Because I'll stop if you're gonna keep this up."

"I was just kidding, Kodi, jeez," Lea said, rolling her eyes. "Guess you're not the type who can take jokes."

"You're starting to sound like my friends, back home, you know that?"

"I do now."

Kodi sighed, trying to get his face color back to normal.

"As I was saying," He continued on with the story. "The girl husky noticed my dad staring at her and let out a small grin as she continued licking his wounds. Dad then realized he was eyeing her for too long and jerked his head away, glowing. _'I'm Jenna, by the way,' _the girl dog spoke again, _'What's your name?'_ My dad looked at her again and simply replied, _'Balto'_. _'Well, it's nice to meet you, Balto – although I wish it was in better circumstances',_ the girl dog told him. My dad laughed a little, but he didn't care how they had met; just getting the chance to look at that beautiful living creature was good enough for him.

"'_I've never seen you in Nome before. Where are you from?', _the girl dog asked. My dad wasn't sure how to answer that. He wasn't really from anywhere, so he didn't know what to tell her. Then he thought back to what those four bullies had said to him. _'I'm from the wild',_ he said in a low voice. The girl husky, Jenna, chuckled. _'I figured that, silly',_ she said. _'I meant where _exactly _are you from?'_ My dad just turned his head away in sadness. Jenna saw it and quietly apologized for sticking her nose into something that was none of her business. My dad said it was alright, and then they started talking for a little bit.

"Once Jenna was done, my dad got back up and had enough strength to head back to the boat, where his sleeping goose friend was sawing logs at. _'Will you be coming back?'_, Jenna asked. My dad was astounded with that question. At first Dad thought he and Uncle Boris would be leaving town in the morning, but after meeting Jenna and seeing how kind and beautiful she was, there could still be some hope for him in Nome. _'Yes, I will'_, He answered. _'Thank you for helping me. You're the first dog I've met who's been real nice to me.'_ Jenna giggled and said, _'There is kindness out in the world, you know. And it's not just me who's nice here; my girl, Rosy, is sweet as well. You should meet her, sometime. You'd love her'. _Dad said to Jenna he'd love to meet her, and Jenna suggested they'd meet around noon the next day.

"After that, they bid farewell to eachother and my dad walked back to the boat. He couldn't remember ever being so happy just by meeting someone. Aside from Uncle Boris, anyone he had met would ignore him, flee from him, or attack him. Jenna, however, she was different: she didn't do any of that; she went up to him, helped him, and even comforted him a little. That was something my dad wasn't used to, back then, and he liked it a lot. Soon, my dad walked up the plank of the boat and looked inside the small cabin and saw Uncle Boris was still snoring away. Dad then let out a sigh of relief. He was glad that Boris didn't wake up while he was exploring Nome. He wasn't in the mood to hear his ranting. My dad then went up to the bow and stared at the sleeping town. For some reason, because of Jenna, my dad knew that Nome was his home. And then, just for the heck of it, my dad let out a long howl of happiness."

"Howl?" Lea asked.

"It's something wolves use to call out to someone," Kodi explained. "It's sort of their way of communication."

"Oh, like how lions roar to their pride?"

"Yeah, something like that. Wolves howl for various reasons: like to contact their pack, warn intruders they're stepping into their territory, expressing that they're happy, sad, lonely, it goes on."

"Do huskies and wolfdogs do it too?" Lea asked.

"Well, my dad felt it was in his nature – from his wolf side – to howl at that particular moment," Kodi explained. "He doesn't usually howl; only when he needs to. As for huskies…not really. We do howl, but only on a rare occasion. I, myself, only howl when either I feel really excited about something, or I need to call out to my team."

"Could you do a howl for me right now?" Lea said eagerly. "I'd really like to hear what it sounds like."

"…Uh… I don't know, Lea," Kodi said. "Howling could affect my ribs, and I don't want them to start hurting again."

"Please, just one," Lea begged. "One quick howl and I won't bother you again."

"Why do you wanna hear me howl so badly?"

"I just wanna hear it," Lea said. "Pretty please?"

Shaking his head out of defeat, Kodi quickly inhaled and lifted his head up high as let out a long, majestic howl he could master. The White Cloud princess eyed him in amazement. Never before had she heard something so…

_Beautiful…_

Kodi stopped when he felt his rib aching again.

"There, you happy?"

"…Very," Lea replied in dreamy voice she didn't mean to sound like.

Just then Talu and half of lionesses dashed inside the den and stopped right in front of them, alerted.

"What happened?" Talu asked franticly. "We heard this strange sound coming in here. Are you in pain, Kodi? Should we send for Dalila?"

"No, I'm fine, really," Kodi explained, chuckling a little. "I was just howling. It's something we canines do back in my homeland, and Lea wanted to hear it."

"It's true, Grandma," Lea joined in. "I asked him to do it for me."

Relief soon flowed into the elderly lioness' face as she and the other lionesses sighed.

"Well, as long as you're not in great pain, then it's fine," Talu told the husky. "But please, Kodi – warn us the next you plan on…'howling' again. We all thought it was something serious."

"You're right, I'm sorry for getting you all worried," Kodi said.

"It's alright," Talu assured him. "Just no more surprises, you need your rest after all, young man."

Then she and the rest of lionesses turned and headed back outside.

"Howling?" one of the lionesses asked her friend next to her. "What on earth is that?"

"How should I know?" her friend replied. "This is the first time I've heard it too."

"Such a strange sound," said another lioness. "It was kinda creepy, yet very interesting."

"Huskies…" said the second lioness. "I'll never understand them for as long as I live."

Kodi and Lea chuckled to eachother when they heard all that. For the first time in a long while, Kodi felt like his old self again. Sure, he won't be able to go search for Balto for five days, but at least he doesn't feel lonely anymore. Lea had been good company to him. She may be a bit odd at times, but she also had a clam, caring, funny side to her as well – despite having to witness her mother's brutal murder – and he was glad to have her there by his side.

"So, what did you think of my howl?" Kodi asked.

"It was…wow…" Lea beamed. "Kodi, I can't find words to describe it! It's something completely new to me! It's just so…_bizarre_!"

"Well, I'm glad you liked it," Kodi said.

_I love it, Kodi_, Lea thought. _I love it! It's so calm and wonderful and…perfect._

Kodi then noticed she was staring oddly at him again.

"Uh, you okay?"

Lea snapped out of it.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine," Lea said. "So, what happened after your father and Boris woke up the next morning?"

"Actually, I think I've told about enough of my dad's past for today," Kodi replied. "I'll continue where I left off tomorrow."

"What!? Lea shouted, outraged. "That's it!? There's still so much I don't know yet! Please keep going!"

"Hey, if I tell you everything now, I'm gonna lose my voice by the time I'm ready to leave," Kodi said. "Besides, all that storytelling has left me parched. I'm gonna go get a drink."

Kodi then lifted himself up and slowly walked out the mouth of the den. It was thanks to the medicine Dalila had given him that his ribs weren't aching as badly as before. Lea then got up and ran to him.

"But this isn't fair!" She whined. "You're leaving me hanging here! I need to know more, please!"

Kodi sighed in annoyance.

_She's like a little pup,_ He thought. _I think I'm starting to understand how Mom and Dad must've felt when me and my siblings were begging for a bedtime story._

"Think of it this way then," He finally told Lea. "I'm gonna be here for five days, right? That'll give me more than enough time to finish everything about my dad's past. Plus, I could use that to kill time while I'm staying here."

"Alright, I'll hold you to it," Lea smirked. "Healed ribs or not, I'm gonna make sure you're not leaving my kingdom till I hear everything about your father – and hear everything about _you_!"

"Me!?" Kodi said, confused.

"There are still some things I don't know about you yet. So I want to learn more about the husky who saved my life, just as much as I want to learn more about the wolfdog the Great Kings of the Past have chosen."

Kodi sighed and shook his head.

"Alright, alright, I'll tell you everything before I leave," He said, annoyed.

"And you're _still_ gonna answer all my questions, on the way to the waterhole," Lea added.

Kodi rolled his eyes.

"…Fine."

Talu spotted them exiting the den and went up to them.

"Any more howling I should be aware of, Kodi?" She asked.

"No, that was enough for today," Kodi assured Talu. "I just wanted to say that I'm thirsty right now, and would like to go to the waterhole for a quick drink, please."

"Very well," Talu said. "I'll have Sauda escort you –"

"Actually, Grandma, I'd like to go with Kodi to the waterhole," Lea cut in. "I'll make sure he's safe and sound."

"Lea, dear, I think you've spent enough time with Kodi for today," Talu said firmly. "You've been with him all day, already. He needs rest, and he won't get any if you keep pestering him."

"I really don't mind, Talu," Kodi said. "Lea's been good company."

Talu looked at them both thoroughly and then let out a low sigh.

"All right, but, please, try not to be gone too long, you two," She instructed. "The other lionesses should return with the kill soon, and you'll need plenty of meat to keep up your strength, young man."

"Uh, yes, ma'am," Kodi said.

After that Kodi and Lea left for the nearest waterhole. Lea then began asking the poor husky the questions she'd been saving. Kodi tried his best to answer them all as she continued asking more and more. Déjà vu, he thought. Except he's Balto and Lea's him.

"So the reason you call him Uncle Boris is because he's like an uncle to you?" Lea asked after hearing Kodi's explanation once they arrived at the waterhole.

"That's right," Kodi replied after drinking some water. "You see, he's been taking care of Dad for a long time; so Dad considers Uncle Boris part of the family. And Boris didn't like to be called 'Grandpa'; said it made him feel really old. So we just simply call him Uncle Boris, and we love him like he really was our uncle."

"Interesting…"

"Anything _else_ you want me to answer?"

"Yeah. The girl dog who helped your father - her name sounds familiar. Who was she, really?"

Kodi chuckled.

"You'll find out in good time," He simply replied. "Any more questions?"

"Just one more for now," Lea replied. "…I'm not sure you'll know this, but I'm gonna ask anyway: What ever happened to your dad's real father?"

"…Now that's…a very good question," Kodi sighed. "It's a complete mystery to what had happened to him. My dad doesn't know a _thing_ about him – not even his name. Although Dad did tell me that he had a faint memory of his mother once telling him his father lives in him now. My dad concluded that his father must've died before he was born; possibly got killed by one of the wolves from my grandmother's former pack. That's just a guess, though."

"I see…" Lea said, feeling very sorry for Balto. "We better head back. Dalila did say she'll come back to check on you. And Grandma would get worried soon if we're gone too long. I've noticed that she truly cares for your wellbeing…as much as I do."

Kodi spotted her blushing when she said that last part. He then displayed a grateful grin.

"Yeah, let's not worry her," He said

Then they headed back to the den.

"Lea, I don't know if you know this, but I'm very thankful to have you and Talu on my side in all this."

The young princess looked at him and smiled.

"We're glad to be on your side, Kodi – _me_ especially," She said. "Not only for being my hero, but you've also become my best friend. And…I don't any friends, to tell you the truth."

"Really, you don't?" Kodi asked, stunned.

Lea shook her head, saddened.

"Father had forbid me to interact with anybody outside the pride after my mother died," She explained. "He said he will not risk losing me to anyone. And Suka…well, there's no need to tell you what you already know."

"Yeah, I kinda learned a lot about him the hard way…" Kodi said, having the cuts and bruised ribs to prove it.

"And because he turned into a monster, I've never wanted anything to do with him."

"…I'm sorry,"

"Don't be. It's on his head, not yours."

"But…still…it's sad that you and your brother don't see eye to eye. And after everything you've told me about your family, I wonder how you manage to stay…happy."

"My grandmother helped me throughout all of it. I don't think I would've made it without her."

"You're very lucky to have her."

"Yeah…but even though I have my grandma, I still felt sad and lonely…until I met you, Kodi."

The injured canine jerked his head to her with wide eyes, making Lea giggle. Now Kodi was the one to blush once again.

"…I'm glad to be your friend, Lea," He said. "And I too think of you as a friend."

Lea smiled, then without even thinking straight, she licked his cheek.

"Thank you," she said in a low, happy voice.

Kodi, dumbfounded, felt the spot she licked with his paw, speechless.

"…Uh…don't mention it," He finally said.

And then they continued on back to the White Clouds' den, side by side, as the massive, majestic sun lowered itself down to the horizon.

* * *

Suka stared hard into the savannah valley on top of a mountain cliff as the stars displayed as brightly as any clear night. This was one of his usual spot he'd hang out all day. He never stayed at the den longer than he should. Everyone there would give cold stares at him when he wasn't looking and whisper things about him to eachother, but he didn't care about that. They could talk dirt about him however much they want. He simply felt that he had no reason to stay with his pride save for to eat and sleep. The White Cloud Prince needed to be alone, it was that simple.

Too many dark thoughts had been pestering his mind for as long as he could remember: Painful cries; dark, sinister laughter; low, unheard pleas; it just kept going on and on.

Tonight was no different for Suka. He tried desperately to think back to the times he was actually…happy. He was fighting hard to find that one memory that'd always put at least a small smile on his face. It was the only memory he felt at peace with for only a short period of time, but nonetheless, made him feel there was hope in this hellish world he was in.

"Come on!" He begged, shaking his head frantically. "Come back to me…! I need it…right now! Don't disappear on me, damn it!"

He stopped and gasped for breath as though he just got his head out of the water. Soon, tears began falling down his cheeks, and then he lowered his head and started crying like a cub. His precious memory was gone.

Never before had this happen to Suka; he always thought of that wonderful memory that somewhat brought him sanctuary. But why hadn't it returned, this time?

Suka ceased crying and started growling viciously. There were only three beings inside his mind that refused to leave: his Sister, his Grandmother, and worst beyond worst of all, the red and white hyena.

Suka then raised his head up high into the heavens as a soft breeze blew his long crimson mane.

"Mom! Can you hear me?" He said. "I know I haven't said anything to you for a long time, and I'm sorry. It's just…so many things have happened to me, since you were taken us. I know it wasn't your fault. It was those murderous hyenas that killed you! But…it seems like Lea has forgotten about that! She has brought one of the soulless abominations to our home, just because _he_ – no – _it_ 'saved' her life! Do you believe that!? She can't realize that creature is just trying trick her and will attack and kill her when she least expects it.

"And what's worse is that Grandma had let the beast inside our den, letting him breathe the same air I breathe, eat the same meal I eat, and she and Lea are on the hyena's side on everything! Not to mention Dad has let it all happened without doing a damn thing!"

Suka stopped to breathe for a little bit before continuing.

"I know you must be really disgusted right now, Mom! I am too! They have forgotten all about you! They have stopped loving you, and have falling under that bastard's spell! But I haven't! I will always love you, and nothing will change that. And nothing would make me forgive them for what they did to you! _Nothing_! I even tried to kill the hyena, but I couldn't. I don't know why. I just couldn't! I hope you can forgive me."

The wind started blowing in his face, calming him down.

"Thank you. I promise I'll make it up to you, Mom. But I need you to help me first: I need to hear you say my name again. I lost the memory you gave me, and I don't know how to get it back. So please, just once, say my name."

He then waited to hear his mother's beautiful voice again, but the night sky remained as it always had been: dark and silent.

"Please, Mom," He begged. "I need to hear you – one last time! Say my name! Say it!"

Once again, no sound came from the sky.

"Are you listening to a word I'm saying!? Why aren't you doing this one thing for me!? Is it too much to ask!?"

Again, silence.

"Are you punishing me!? Is it because I didn't save you, or because I didn't kill the hyena!? If that's it, then I'm sorry – and, I promise, I will kill it when I return to the den! I'll do whatever you want me to do! Just, for the love of the Great Kings, SAY MY NAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMEEEEEEEEEEE!!!"

The loud cry had startled all the night-wondering animals nearby, making them run away in fear. Suka collapsed onto the hard ground in tears again. He went on sobbing like a cub for ten minutes, unaware that a big, dark silhouette was coming behind him.

"Shame," said a dark, familiar voice. "It seems like dear Mommy is upset of her poor little son to respond to him, eh Sukiee?"

Suka raised his head and growled angrily again.

"Get the hell out of here, before I unleash all my anger out on you!" He roared, not looking back.

Chisulo chuckled and walked closer to the miserable prince.

"Good, the moment you're not in anger is when I'll start worrying about you," He said. "And I don't feel like going anywhere."

"Then what do you want!?" Suka roared, still not looking at him. "I didn't want to see you after I left your group of no good rebels. I didn't want to see you yesterday. So what makes you think I want see you tonight!?"

"Well, now I get your point of not wanting to see me," Chisulo said. "I was gonna tell you that I'm ready for that rematch now, but since you brought up the good old days, how about we have a little chat about it? We had such a fun time back then, don't you think?"

Suka desperately wiped his eyes as he roared at Chisulo again as a response, still having his back turned on him.

"Temper, temper, now," Chisulo said. "Must you even avoid the good times he had together? Believe it or not, those were the best times I've ever had. You had your fun moments too. You can't deny that. I even remember seeing you having a wide smile on your face once in a while."

"Those days have rotted, _years_ago," Suka replied. "I recall that it was _you_ who killed the 'good old days' for me!"

"Right, because I made one little mishap," Chisulo said in annoyance. "And you still can't forgive me for that!?"

"I don't forgive, Chisulo!" Suka roared. "You know that! That's the first thing I told you when we first met!"

Chisulo snorted.

"Then I guess your mother doesn't forgive either," He taunted. "She remained silent while you begged for her to say your name, probably because you didn't kill that hyena you were crying about, yesterday. Good to understand where you got it from? I guess that means she stopped loving you too. Well, sucks to be you then!"

That did it!

Eyes burning as hot as magma and with the speed of light, Suka had got up and leaped onto his hated enemy (well, one of his hated enemies), and began ripping, clawing, and roaring at him like a true wild beast. Chisulo struggled to keep the mad prince from ripping his face off, and despite Suka's rabid attack, he wasn't worried about his safety. He brought a few surprises for the furious white lion, just in case…

Determined to give Chisulo as much pain and suffering as he could, Suka was far too blind with rage to see that a massive, full grown lion had come out of his hiding place and pounced on him hard, getting him off of Chisulo. Suka felt the wind being knocked out of him as soon as he hit the rocky ground. And before he could regain himself, the white cloud prince felt a heavy paw pressed hard on his chest, keeping him from getting up. At first all Suka could see was a giant fuzzy fur ball, but when his vision cleared up, he saw his attacker was someone he knew too well.

The lion was twice the size of Suka with incredible muscles that could bring down a wildebeest easily; his fur was light chocolate brown; his mane was dark brown; his body had a few scars from past battles; and he wore an unyielding look that could make even the tough animals whimper in fear.

The massive lion gave Suka a big wide grin as he stared deeply into his emerald eyes.

"Been a long time…Comrade," said the lion with a bold, dark voice.

"…Ajani," Suka said in a low voice.

"About time you got that brat off me!" Chisulo yelled as he got up. "Seriously, could you be any later!?"

"Sorry, boss," Ajani said. "Wasn't sure when you wanted me to come out."

"Well, next time you see me getting jumped on and on the verge of getting my face ripped off, RUN OUT AND SMASH THE GUY!!" Chisulo roared.

The big lion made felt embarrassed for his late action, but then turned his attention to Suka who was trying to breathe with Ajani's heavy paw on his chest. Chisulo went toward Suka, grinning evilly as his former friend glared with pure hatred at him.

"Not bad, Sukiee," He admitted. "Still that crazy fighter as before."

"Then what are gonna do to me?" Suka said in a raspy voice. "If your plan is to kill me, do it now. There's nothing left for me in this godforsaken land."

Chisulo and Ajani laughed, alone with three other lions Suka couldn't see, but immediately recognized. Right on cue, the three lions walked up to the down prince and snickered at the state he was in.

One lion had ash-grey fur all over his body, while his mane and tail tuft was as silver as the moon; he was a handsome lion with fairly good muscles and long, well sharp claws; his silver mane was well groomed and cleaned. What stood out the most, though, was his right eye – only there wasn't an eye there, just an empty socket, due to a ferocious battle with a rival lion, years ago.

The grey lion gazed into Suka's face with his one silver-grey eye.

"Long time, no see, Red," He said in a cunning voice. "Infuriated at the world as always."

"Some things never change, Kiho," said another familiar lion with too many battle scars to the grey one. "But look at him now: frustrated that his dead mother hasn't said anything back to him in years, and now doesn't have a reason to live. Pity, ain't it?"

"You said it, Diallo," Kiho said, snickering. "Too bad he used to be better and stronger than this."

"What can you do?" said a feminine voice.

The only lioness in the group walked closer to Suka and gave him a feminine smile.

"Remember me, little cubby?" She asked in a teasing sort of way.

"Sadist!" Suka spitted.

The lioness gave an angry growl and slashed Suka right in the face, leaving him with deep cuts on his right cheek.

"That's Sade to you!" she said. "And while I'm at it…"

She slashed him again on his left cheek. Suka let out a small scream of pain as the stinging began, and blood was dripping down his face.

"That's for hurting and humiliating my Chisulo yesterday and tonight!"

Everyone chuckled as Sade went to Chisulo's side and nuzzled him passionately.

"You alright, lover," Sade asked.

"I'll manage," Chisulo replied, licking her cheek.

Suka now wanted payback for this.

"And last and definitely least," Chisulo announced. "Little brother, get out here!"

A small, scared lion slowly walked toward the rest of the group; he had some resemblance toward Chisulo save for size and physical appearance. The lion remained silent and avoid eye contact as he joined his older brother.

"There, now, Suka, here's Chicha," Chisulo said. "And that concludes everybody. Together, this used to be the Rebel Seven, but is now the Rebel Six!"

Suka hadn't spoken a word. He was trying to get Ajani's paw off of him. Ajani and the rest of the Rebel Six only laughed at his attempt.

"Forget it, Sukiee," Chisulo said. "Ajani, here, is hard as a rock. And besides, do you think you could take down _all_ of us if you somehow got free?"

"I'd rather die trying!" Suka roared.

Everyone laughed.

"In any case," Chisulo continued. "As to what you asked earlier – no, we didn't come here to kill you. We may be old pals, but you should know I don't do requests to backstabbers. What we have in mind is a whole lot better. But for now, you look really sleepy, Sukiee. Perhaps a goodnight's rest would do you good."

He then signaled his buddies to knock him out. Ajani raised his paw off of Suka, and before Suka could do anything, the boys (except Chicha, who looked away) jumped him and pound his head until he was finally out cold…

* * *

**Well, there you have it. Bet you didn't see this coming. And yes, it's another cliffhanger. Now you finally have a clue as to why Suka doesn't want anyone to say his name, and how Chisulo knows him.**

**Disclaimer: The Rebel Six is something I came up with. If there is something that shares the same name, I assure you that it's pure coincidental. So, please no flames for the name.**

**Once again, thank you for your patience and your reviews. I never expected to have so many fans for this story. Thank you all so much. And happy holidays.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Hey, everyone. Long time no see. Again, I'd like to apologize for the long wait. School, my job, and other things in my life had kept me from doing any writing as much as I wanted to. I'm sorry to have kept you all waiting for six months now. But now, here it is! Chapter 15!**

**Now before you begin, I've got some good news, and I've got some bad news. The bad news is that don't expect to see Suka or the "Rebel Six" in this chapter; they won't be in it. I know in the last chapter I said it was a cliffhanger and all, but I did a lot of thinking and decided not to reveal the Rebel Six's evil plans are or what fate has in store for Suka as their prisoner. To me, it felt like I was jumping ahead of the story. I hope you can forgive me. Now, as for this chapter, which is the good news, we're going to learn the origin of the White Clouds, Kora's past, and the name of Suka and Lea's late mother.**

**And one more thing, I'd like to thank my beta reader, KHwhitelion, for doing an outstanding job on editing this chapter. Thanks again. Now, let's rock!**

* * *

After a full day of "scouting" his lands – in complete isolation, like always – Kora walked with his head held low on his way to a certain (special) spot he felt he needed to be that night. He wasn't exactly paying attention to where he was going, but it mattered not. He had been to that one particular spot countless times; he could find it in his sleep. He was thankful the animals in his kingdom knew of this spot, and knew not to disturb the king when he was in such a state. Heck, they rarely so much as whispered "Hello, Your Majesty" when he passed by them in his so-called "good" mood. Any wondering animal simply would move out of Kora's way once they see him coming without saying a word to him. It had been like that for a _long _time now; an eternity even. Ever since the loss of his beloved mate, the once-proud king had become bitter and distant to everyone, including the rest of his family and pride.

When the news of the White Clouds queen's brutal massacre had spread, everyone in the kingdom was shocked and outraged by this horrible tragedy. Who would want to murder the gentle, loving queen of the White Clouds in such a monstrous way? Her death was mourned very deeply. She was a very kind, caring queen with a heart of gold and everyone truly loved her—enough that the animals even gave their condolences to her two traumatized children; they had happened to witness their mother being torn away from them.

When it was confirmed that three rogue hyenas were responsible for the queen's death, the entire kingdom was baffled. There were no hyena clans for hundreds of miles, and they had not once been seen entering the White Cloud Lands. It was as if they were evil spirits roaming the lands to steal innocent and loving souls they'd come across with – but not before they'd rip and tear off everything from the poor soul's body.

Soon after the queen's death, King Kora had ordered everybody to find and capture the three cold-blooded killers immediately. For weeks everyone searched the entire kingdom, even far outside the border lines, but the search turned up hopeless. Not one animal had succeeded in finding the three hyenas. It was as if they had vanished from the face of the earth…

Not long after that, things had started to crumble down in the White Cloud Lands: King Kora fell into a deep depression; he no longer cared to correct the problems and issues of his kingdom, nor would he bother helping someone in dire need. He was practically an empty shell.

His second-in-command had resigned from his duties and left the kingdom in favor of becoming a rogue. No one ever heard from him again.

Prince Suka grew very bitter and angry; attacking those who called him by name. Some of the animals nearly lost their lives due to that fatal mistake. Why he turned savage nobody understood.

Princess Lea wasn't allowed to leave her home at all. Sometimes the animals would pity her when they saw how sad and lonesome she was. But thankfully the little princess had her dear grandmother, Talu. Under the older lioness's care, Lea managed to have some fun, despite her situation.

How everyone missed their departed queen!

It was every animal for itself in the White Cloud lands, which led for most of them to leave and find better homes. The ones who chose to stay behind no longer went seeking neither help nor guidance from their bitter, short-tempered king; a king who only wandered around aimlessly all day, looking miserable, angry, and lost all at once. No, they had learned to settle their issues by themselves.

At last, Kora made it to the spot. He collapsed onto the dry ground and breathed in the earth right in front of him – and then slowly exhaled the scent in delight. It – nay, _she_ – was still there. He could still smell her. The precious scent of his beloved dead mate. Kora had traveled to the exact place where he found her nearly-unrecognizable carcass, along with his two heart-broken cubs, crying for their lost mother, all those years ago. All the elements of the jungle had erased his mate's remains as time went on, but her scent was still there.

In spite of the pain it brought, every so often Kora would come here to inhale his mate's scent, and would sometimes call out to her in the sky for guidance. Tonight he was going to do just that. So many questions had bottled up inside him involving his family and a certain "outsider"…

"My love," Kora said out loud to the heavens. "I hope you can hear me. So many strange and puzzling things have happened in these past couple of days that you should be aware of. Our daughter has begun her first hunt. I wasn't sure if she was ready, at first, but Mother had convinced me otherwise. You know how she can make you do anything by looking into those eyes of hers. She truly does have a gift for giving commands. In any case, when Lea began her hunt, she was clinging for her life onto the side of a cliff after attempting to cross a gorge by walking on a weak log that broke in half. She tried calling out for help, but no one came to her aid – except…an outsider. I don't know what he truly was, but he had the looks that resemble so much of those vile creatures that stole you away from me.

"However, the outsider managed to save our daughter by using a vine and a tree. Have you ever heard of such a thing? I never thought something so ridicules could be strategized to rescue a life. But, nevertheless, it worked; for if it didn't, she'd be with you right now – and I…I wish not to think about that...

"…Lea was grateful with the outsider's help. So…as a way of repaying him, she brought the outsider to our home to meet Mother about finding the location of his missing father. From what I understand, it seems that the outsider and his father have come to our kingdom by the supernatural forces of 'The Great Kings of the Past'. If that isn't the most ludicrous story I've ever heard, my love, I don't know what is. But the most absurd side to this tale is that Mother actually believes the outsider, and is willing to help him. I didn't want them in any part of the outsider's wild ideas. I wanted him out of the kingdom immediately! But then Mother reminded me, of course, that if it weren't for the outsider's heroic deed, Lea wouldn't part of this world anymore. So…for that – as painful and absurd as it was for me – I let the outsider sleep in the den for the night, and he was to leave the kingdom after Mother and Lea helped him in whatever he needed to be helped with.

"After a day's work of scouting, however, I returned home to find the outsider still in the den, unconscious and severely beaten on. Mother and Lea had defended the outsider and confirmed it to me that our son was responsible for the red and white beast's injuries. Mother then told me because of Suka's actions, I should let the outsider stay with the pride until he recovers. At first, I wasn't going to agree to that! I'm the king of the White Clouds, and she no longer had any authority over me or the kingdom! MY WORD IS LAW IN THESE LANDS!"

He let out a loud, angry roar that rang throughout the clear savannah. The bitter king breathed in and out to calm down before continuing on with his story.

"…But then…I looked at our daughter and saw her with her head held low in utter sadness. It made me realize that I hadn't been grateful to the outsider for saving our daughter's life. Not to mention that no matter what I did to insure Lea's safety, she always looked unhappy with my decisions. So, I swallowed my pride once more and told them the outsider could stay. You should've seen Lea's face when she heard the news. She ran up to me and actually nuzzled me. I was completely taken aback. I couldn't remember the last time our daughter nuzzled me like that. I…I really liked it. It made me feel _happy_ again. But…at the same time…it made me realize how much I truly miss being nuzzled and _loved_ by our children…"

Kora stopped to wipe a tear from his right eye.

"You see, my dear – I'm lost," He went on. "I don't know what to do anymore. That outsider bears a strong resemblance of those soulless abominations that took you from this world – took you away from _me_. Whenever I lay my eyes upon him, I want nothing more than to rip, tear, and claw out everything that's inside wretched body of his. I want him to feel the pain I feel everyday for not having you by my side; not seeing that wonderful smile of yours; not hearing that musical laugh of yours; and not having you nuzzling and purring under my chin…"

More tears leaked down the king's white furry cheeks.

"Please, tell me – what should I do? Should I really let this outsider heal at our home? Because he saved our daughter's life, should I let him live? Because it was our son who gave him those injuries in the first place, should I be concern about his condition? And, more importantly, because he resembles those filthy hyenas, should I lay a paw on him…or not…? I need to know, my love..."

A gently gust of wind blew in Kora's face. Relaxation soon cascaded the white lion king thoroughly.

"Maybe…maybe this is something I need to sleep on. Is that it?" He said to the night sky. "Yeah…that might be the best. I'll sleep here. Right here with you, my darling. I'll return home in the morning – with my final decision. Until then, I'll be running beside you in my sleep, my love. Good night."

* * *

At dawn, as the sun's bright rays went inside the White Clouds den and hit him right in the face, Kodi opened his eyes and saw that it was morning.

_Finally! One down, four more to go,_ He thought, yawning. _Hang in there, Dad. I'll be out of here and on my way to save your tail from whatever dangers the Great Kings have in store for you._

He then looked to his left and saw that Lea had been sleeping rather close to him (a little _too_ close for his comfort, he might add). Trying not to disturb her, Kodi got up, stretched his whole body (which he soon regretted doing when his ribs started aching again) and slowly walked toward the mouth of the den. He saw it was a beautiful morning: a clear blue sky with some clouds hanging lazily; some of the kingdom's animals were roaming throughout the land and tending to their usual morning routines (whatever they were). For the first time in what felt like forever, Kodi was actually smiling happily again. The young adult canine was truly grinning at the lovely scenery before him.

_I never realized just how beautiful this place is,_ He thought. _I've been so caught up with looking for Dad and finding a way out of here that I never took the time to get a good look at these lands. Well, hopefully Talu will let me wander outside for just for a little bit, today. Dalila _did_ say I'm recovering much faster than she thought. Hopefully I'll be healed a day or two early and ready to go._

Just last night when Kodi and Lea returned to the den, Dalila the mandrill shaman had been waiting for the injured husky to give him one final health examination for the day. After doing a quick check-up on his injuries, she was surprise to see that Kodi's ribs were almost healed. She was also amazed to see that he wasn't flinching as much as before, especially when he was able to go to the waterhole for a drink.

"It seems to me that you huskies heal fast," She told him. "That's a new discovery for me."

"It's probably from that medicine you gave me," Kodi told her. "It really helped ease the pain in my ribs. You're really something else."

"Yeah, that could be it too – and thank you," She said, chuckling while her face glowed underneath her furry cheeks. "Well, at this rate, I'd say you'll be able to go search for your father in no time."

Kodi nearly jumped for joy when he had heard that.

"Hold on," Dalila stated while waving her index finger in front of his face. "We still need to take this one step at a time. Better safe than sorry out here in these lands, you know."

Dalila then gave him some more of her handmade medicine, before saying goodnight to him, Talu, and Lea as she left the den.

Kodi continued to gaze at the view with a smile on his face. He actually had hope of leaving this place sooner; hearing he was almost well had filled him with such excitement that he wanted to run and jump all over the place while waging his tail like a little pup again.

Just then he heard the morning yawns (which sounded more like low roars) of Lea and the other lionesses awakening. He turned his head around to see the snow-white princess walking up to him after she did her morning stretch.

"Good morning, Kodi," She said, sitting right next to him.

"Good morning, Lea," Kodi said. "Sleep well?"

"Yes. I can't remember having such a goodnight's sleep," She beamed. "Did you?"

"Yeah, slept like a log," He replied. "The exciting news Dalila gave me last night kept me positive."

"That's good," Lea said. "Soon, you'd finally be reunited with your father for sure."

"Yes, I really hope so…" Kodi said, eyeing the landscape again.

"Enjoying the view, I see," Lea said.

"You bet," Kodi said. "It didn't cross my mind to tell you just how beautiful your home is."

Lea giggled.

"It's probably the happy news of your early recovery talking – but, nonetheless, thank you."

Just then, the two friends saw the rest of the lionesses pass by them as they left the den. Some of them actually smiled and bid good morning to Kodi and Lea as they did so. Kodi was dumbfounded when they did that to _him_. Just a couple of days ago the White Cloud lionesses couldn't stand to look at him, but now they were being _nice_ to him? What was that about? Lea giggled at the surprised expression on her friend's face.

"They trust you now," She told Kodi. "When they first saw you, it opened up old wounds from what had happened to my mom, but seeing how nice you are, they finally realized you're nothing like those heartless monsters."

"…Well, I'm glad they have," Kodi admitted. "I was getting fed up of everybody thinking I'm the bad guy here – besides you and Talu, of course."

Lea smiled.

"I just wish your father and brother would look at me like you do…" Kodi said in low voice.

Lea's smile vanished just as fast as it came.

"…Yeah, me too…"

"Lea, Kodi" Talu's voice suddenly called "could the both of you come into the den? I have some very important news to discuss with the two of you."

"Coming, Grandma," Lea called into the cave.

"What kind of news does she have to tell us?" Kodi asked.

"Beats me," Lea replied. "There's only one way to find out, though. Come on, Kodi-boy! You can sit on your butt and watch the scenery later!"

She then got up and went back inside the den with Kodi following her.

"_Kodi-boy…!" _He thought, dumbfounded.

In the very back of the cave they saw Talu, along with another elderly lioness whom Kodi knew to be Talu's cub-hood friend, Sauda. They were sitting on their hind legs as they waited for Kodi and Lea.

"And how are you feeling this morning, Kodi?" Talu asked formally.

"Great, actually," Kodi replied truthfully. "My ribs aren't hurting as much."

"That's wonderful to hear," Talu said before getting straight to the point. "Now, the reason I called for you two is –"

She stopped in mid-sentence due to the huge shadow looming over them. Lea and Kodi jerked their heads to see Kora standing in front of the cave's mouth, stubborn and grim as always. The king then walked slowly toward them, staring hard at the husky. Kodi didn't know what to do so he avoided eye contact with him.

"What did the baboon have to say about the outsider's condition?" Kora asked roughly.

"_Dalila_ said that _Kodi_ has a few cuts along with a couple of bruised ribs, and has instructed that he should remain in the den for a couple of days, before departing," Talu replied. "So it's only a little while that he'll be with us, dear. You _did_ say he could stay until he's fully recovered, did you not?"

Kora made a low growl, looking at Kodi coldly again, then looking back at his mother.

"…That I did. And that baboon better be right about it being only a couple of days. I will not tolerate any more of her foolish mistakes!"

He then turned to Kodi.

"I don't like you, nor do I trust you," He growled. "If it were up to me, you'd still be out there in the jungle not only suffering from your injuries, but being eaten alive by the surrounding predators. Nevertheless…you did save my daughter, and I am grateful for that. So…you are…w-welcome to stay for a couple of days to recover." He paused. "_But_ I'm warning you: this is your last chance of you being here. Once you're healed, you're on your own – no matter what! And if you try anything foolish on my family, you'll be suffering far more than you are now – before I kill you. Am I clear!"

Kodi gulped.

"Y-Yes…sir – uh, Your Majesty," He replied, bowing as low as he possibly could.

"Good," the white lion king said. "I've thought long and hard with this decision, outsider. _Do not_ make me regret it!"

And with that said, Kora turned and left the den, catching a glimpse of his daughter's hard eyes as he left; a low, angry growl emitting from her throat. Kora knew he had been too harsh with the husky, but that couldn't be helped. It was still too hard to forget the past, no matter how much he tried.

_I hope, one day, you can forgive me, my daughter…_

Once he saw that Kora was out of sight, Kodi sighed out loud in relief.

"You'd think he'd spit out fire or something, huh," He mumbled out loud.

Talu and Sauda heavily sighed as they shook their heads. Lea looked at Kodi with an "I'm-sorry-about-my-dad" look on her face.

"Now, moving on," Talu said, getting Kodi and Lea's attention, trying to make it as though her son's intrusion never happened. "Kodi, my dear friend Sauda will be watching over you today. As for Lea and I, we will be engaging in some hunting lessons all morning to possibly the afternoon."

"What?" Lea asked, stunned. "Are you serious?"

"Yes, child," Talu replied. "You still have a lot to learn if you want to hunt with the other lionesses. There won't always be someone to help you when you are in danger. You need to learn to take care of yourself. Besides, this will give Kodi enough time to properly rest without any distractions. I've noticed you've been spending far too much time with him while he should be resting and recovering."

Lea was speechless. She didn't think she'd be going out for more training so soon. The princess hadn't even thought of hunting one bit since she had met her husky friend. Kodi was just as shocked as she was by this unexpected announcement. This would be the first time they'd actually be separated. Then again, the "alone time" could really benefit his wounds. And as much as he enjoyed Lea's company, Kodi did notice that she had been a bit clingy, and he'd like to have some time to himself.

"Okay," Kodi told Talu. "When will you two be leaving?"

"Soon," Talu replied. "I'll inform the other lionesses about our arrangements, and then Lea and I will be on our way."

She then got up and left the cave. Lea looked at Kodi, not knowing what to say. She was still in a state of shock. Kodi looked at Lea and then looked Sauda, who had been silent throughout the whole occasion, eyeing them for a time, before looking away. The injured husky would've forgotten she was there if it hadn't been for her swift tail movements side to side on the ground.

Soon Talu returned.

"Everyone has been informed," She said. "Lea, are you ready, dear?"

"…Y-yes," Lea replied hesitantly.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" Talu asked. "Are you okay?"

"…I-I'm fine, Grandma," Lea said, her voice rising slightly. "It's just that…I'm a little scared. What if I mess up again? I would've been a goner if Kodi hadn't shown and save me from that fall. I…I just don't know if I can do this so soon afterwards."

"Do not worry, dear," Talu said. "Where we're going today, there are no gorges to cross. So there's no need to be scared of falling."

"It's not just that," Lea said. "I'm also scared of…seeing _them_ again. I know it's been a long time since anyone's seen _them_, but…I can't help but feel that they're still out there somewhere, waiting for me…"

Talu went and nuzzled her granddaughter, calming her as a tear rolled down her cheek. Kodi felt pity for her; he knew Lea was referring to the hyenas who murdered her mother.

"There's nothing to fear, child," Talu said. "I will be there watching over you the entire time. I may be old, but you know me well enough to know that I can handle myself. And if, by some chance, those vile creatures show their ugly faces to us, they will pay dearly for hurting our family."

Lea cracked a smile, and then nuzzled her grandmother again. Kodi couldn't help but grin. He had finally seen the love and kindness in Talu that Lea was talking about.

Putting on a brave face, Lea stood firm. "I'm ready!"

"That's my girl," Talu smiled.

The two lionesses exited the den with Kodi and Sauda (who was still silent) following suit. Some of the other lionesses smiled at Lea and wished her luck. Lea stared hard into the rain forest with the full intention of being a great hunter and making everybody proud.

"I can do this," She told herself. "I've waited for a long time to help the pride, and that's just what I'm gonna do, today. Kodi has given me a second chance. Grandma has given me a second chance. I _won't_ make any foolish mistakes again. I'm gonna make sure of it!"

Without noticing, Kodi walked up next to the determined princess.

"I know you can do it, Lea," He said. "I wish you the best of luck."

A warm glow rose inside Lea's heart at Kodi's words.

"Thank you," She said, smiling brightly at him.

"…Uh…right, no problem," Kodi said, blushing a little.

"We better get going, dear," Talu told Lea. "So much for you to learn before the sun leaves us."

"Right, just one more minute, please," Lea said. "I want to say something to Kodi real quick."

"Very well," Talu said. "But don't take too long. I'll run ahead into the jungle. Meet me at the spot I marked."

Once they saw Talu was gone, Lea and Kodi look at eachother.

"Listen, Kodi," Lea said. "I know I've been acting weird around you since yesterday – and that lick I gave you…I don't know why I did that. It just felt…that I needed to do that… I wish I could explain why…but I just can't. I'm sorry for making you feel uncomfortable."

"Hey, don't worry about it," Kodi reassured her. "I gotta admit it was odd when your head was shaking like crazy with your face glowing like a lantern, but I'm okay with it, really. And as for the lick, it's cool. Friends do that all the time – we _are _friends, after all."

"…Yeah…right…friends…" Lea murmured, not entirely believing it herself; somehow it felt so much more to her…

"You better get going now," Kodi said. "Your Grandmother's waiting. And remember; don't let the past get to you. Just keep looking forward. This may sound corny, but my dad once told me, 'We all fall so we could learn to pick ourselves up'. …I hope that…makes sense to you."

Lea giggled. Kodi always knew just what to say, whether he realized it or not.

"I'll be sure to get a good kill just for you, Kodi," Lea said. "It'll be my way of thanking you for giving me another chance at _everything_."

"Well, I don't know about 'everything', but no problem. And sure, I'd like to try whatever you'd get me."

Lea smiled, giving Kodi another quick lick on the cheek, before running off into the jungle and right before Kodi had a chance to respond. The red and white mail dog just gave a slight chuckle and shook his head.

_She's really something else…_ He thought, almost enjoying the lick.

It was then he heard someone cleared their throat loud enough to get his attention. He jerked his head to see that it was Sauda.

"Young man," She said in a firm tone. "I believe you should go back inside. Your rest is of the upmost importance."

"O-oh…yeah…right," Kodi stammered. "Sorry. I'll go now."

He walked back into the cave, lay down, curled into a ball, and closed his eyes.

* * *

From morning till around noon Kodi remained in the cave with no disturbance. When he had awoken, he expected to see Lea close by him, but was surprised to see the princess wasn't there. He then remembered she and Talu were out hunting and wouldn't be back until late afternoon.

Now fully rested, Kodi took a moment to observe the inside of the den. All the lionesses, including Sauda, were outside doing their thing (but what else was new?) so there was no one inside watching him. He already knew what Kora was up to, but he didn't know where Suka was or what his daily routines were; not that it mattered, anyway. With the whole place to himself, Kodi wasn't sure how to pass the time. He was so used to having Lea keep him company that it just felt weird and…kind of lonely without her. He didn't know why he felt this way of her absence. He just did.

As time went on Kodi grew quite restless. He had hoped to ask Talu if he could go outside and stretch his legs, but because of the hunting lesson, the bored husky knew he had to wait until tomorrow. Kodi figured if he'd asked Sauda, she'd say no and that'd be her final word. He may not know her, but from the firm tone she had used earlier, he had a clue what she was like: very rigid and strict.

Before long, nature began calling his name. He thought this was a good enough chance as any to leave the cave and walk around for a little while. So he got up and exited the den. Sauda was lying a few feet from the den's exit, talking to a fellow lioness. Kodi didn't know what to say; he just cleared his throat to get her attention. Both lionesses turned their heads in his direction.

"Is there anything I can help you with, young man?" Sauda asked in a softer tone than before.

"…Uh…I need to go…take care of some business…" Kodi said uncomfortably.

"What kind of business?" Sauda asked thoroughly. "You've never mentioned any business since you've been here."

"No, not that kind of business," Kodi said. "I mean I need to…you know…"

He kept directing his eyes toward the jungle. Sauda then finally realized what he had meant.

"Oh, of course," She said, getting up. "Very well; I'll escort you."

"See you later, Sauda," said the lioness she was talking to.

With a nod of farewell to her previous companion, Sauda led Kodi deep into the rain forest. They were both quiet the whole way. Kodi couldn't think of anything to say to the old lioness, while Sauda didn't really have a reason to talk to him. Soon Kodi couldn't take the awkward silence anymore. He hoped a simple conversation would lead to something good.

"Beautiful day, isn't it?" He began.

"Yes, it is," Sauda simply replied. "Good enough for Princess Lea to learn the ways of a hunter."

"Yeah, definitely," Kodi said. "I'm sure she'll do good today."

"You mean, she will do 'well', young man," Sauda said firmly in a somewhat motherly tone. "Princess Lea will do well today, you meant to say. And yes, I too have full confidence that she will be a great huntress one day."

Kodi felt a little annoyed when she corrected his grammar. It kinda reminded him of his sister, Aleu. She would correct anyone like a real know-it-all, which used to drive Kodi crazy.

"…Right…she will do _well_ to be a great…uh…huntress…" He said.

They remained quiet after that, which suited Kodi just fine. Their conversation was going _nowhere_.

"Young man," Sauda said suddenly.

Kodi nearly jumped.

"…Uh, yeah…what's up?"

"…I've never really thanked you for saving our princess's life…nor have I shown my appreciation for it."

"Oh! Well, it was nothing. Don't worry about it. I'm just glad I was there to help her."

"Still, I should have done it sooner, and not treated you so harshly. You see, it was because of had happened to our beloved queen, so many years ago…"

"No need to explain it," Kodi assured her. "I already know. Lea told me."

Sauda chuckled.

"I figured the princess would have no trouble telling you that tragic tale," She said. "I've noticed how fond she is with you, Kodi."

"Yeah, I've noticed it, too," Kodi replied. "I guess…she's been lonely for so long…that it's just dumb luck we met at _all_…OF COURSE…I wish…it was in better circumstances…AND…nevertheless…I happened to be there…at the right time to save her…"

Sauda laughed once again. She knew the poor husky meant well; he just had no experience talking to anyone in the pride other than Lea or Talu.

Choosing to continue her previous explanation, the lioness went on.

"But, I'm afraid to say that wasn't the beginning of King Kora's bitterness. In fact…the queen's murder had…_worsened_ it."

"Huh?" Kodi asked, dumbfounded. "What do you mean?"

Sauda sighed heavily.

"It's…not really my place to say," She said. "but you of all the animals here have the right to know about our dreadful past. Before I begin, however…" she cleared her throat "I believe this is a suitable spot to relieve yourself."

Sauda pointed at a massive old tree right in front of them, to which Kodi immediately dashed to the other side and took care of his business. He wanted to continue the conversation with Talu's old friend as soon as possible. This was a perfect opportunity to learn more of the White Clouds' past; especially why Kora always seemed so irritated.

Once he was finished, Kodi walked back to the waiting lioness.

"I was wondering if we could stop by the waterhole for a quick drink," He asked Sauda politely. "I'm growing rather thirsty."

"But of course," Sauda replied. "And on the way, I'll resume my tale."

So off they went.

"There are certain things I will tell you," Sauda told the husky. "The rest, I'm afraid, you're gonna have to hear from Talu herself."

"Okay, sure," Kodi replied eagerly. He felt like a little pup waiting for his mother to tell him a bedtime story.

Sauda took a deep breath before she began.

"It all started a long time ago, around the time Talu and her late mate, Daren, were the ruling king and queen. Kora was merely a small cub at the time. In the beginning, the kingdom was peaceful and everybody was happy. King Daren and Queen Talu – this is how I'm going to address them because, to me, they'll always be King and Queen of the White Clouds – were ruling the kingdom with such majestic and dignity; not a living soul did not love and respect them. Kora, too, loved his parents deeply and was proud to be their son. The bond he shared with his father was very strong. The two were nearly inseparable. When he wasn't busy tending to his duties, Daren would take Kora out to roam the kingdom, teaching the boy everything there is to know about the Circle of Life."

"The Circle of Life…?" Kodi asked with the look of bewilderment on his face.

Sauda smiled.

"It's an old saying – much older than Talu and myself – we learned from when our pride lived in the Pride Lands," She explained. "But that's another story entirely; one that would be best left for Talu to tell you. Anyway, Kora had a happy cub-hood. I'd always forget that poor, miserable shell of a 'king' was once that same carefree, happy-go-lucky child."

"Wow…." Kodi murmured, shocked. "It doesn't sound the same lion at all."

Sauda nodded.

"In any case, when Kora wasn't with Daren or Talu, he would spend time with his friend: a high spirited lion cub named Runako."

_Runako…? _Kodi thought for a minute. _Why do I feel like I've heard that name before?_

"They'd always play like any cub should do," Sauda went on. "Sometimes, their mischief would get them into trouble. But all and all, they were fine young boys.

"Soon, Runako's little sister wanted to join them in their playing. Kora and Runako didn't want her to join in their games at first because she was girl. However, Runako's sister eventually proved to the boys that she could be just as fun as they were. The trio soon became inseparable; always playing somewhere in the kingdom, helping each other when needed – sometimes, even covering for one another when they got into too much trouble. The list just goes on and on."

Kodi smirked. The younger Kora and his friends reminded him so much of the friendship he and his siblings had when they were young; the same goes with his teammates.

"As time went on," Sauda continued, pulling Kodi out of his thoughts, "the three began to grow into adolescence, but more importantly: Kora and the girl began to grow closer to each other. It was obvious of what they had was more than just friendship: They were starting to fall for one another. Everyone in the kingdom could see it. Runako saw it too and was happy for them.

"But then," Sauda let out a long sigh. "King Daren…grew rather ill, and things spiraled downhill from there. The poor king had a terrible cough. We asked Dalila, who had just begun her job as medical shaman, to look at him. But she was so young, and so inexperienced….She would ask King Daren multiple questions involving his routines and diet. He told her he hadn't done anything out of ordinary, which is when we all grew concerned. How could someone as strong and healthy as Daren suddenly become so sick?

"Dalila didn't have the answer to that question, unfortunately. She could only treat him with homemade medicine; telling us that only time would tell from now on." Sauda stopped to take quick breath. "And as the weeks went by, we had to come to terms with the fact that our king wasn't getting any better. He could barely see, and was severely uncoordinated. The change was so drastic…so sad…until one day, while attempting to do his duties, King Daren suddenly collapsed.

"We carried him back to the den, and kept watch over him; taking turns day and night to be sure he was well cared for. Then-Prince Kora watched over him the most, while Queen Talu – worried for her mate of course, mind you – attended to her duties. Kora made sure his father was well cared for and never left his side. Secretly, I suspect King Daren knew his days were numbered, but he never shared that information with us. Not like we needed him to tell us that; we all knew his end was near – except for Kora. He absolutely refused to believe his father was dying. The dear little cub kept pestering – even so much as threatened – Delilah to make him get better.

"The poor mandrill did everything in her power to help Daren, but the prince didn't see that. He believed she wasn't even trying, not that we could blame him. No one wants to witness their father waste away before their eyes. Then…just like that…the great king was dead…"

Kodi saw a single tear slide down Sauda's cheek, but the elderly lioness paid it no heed.

"We were all there when it happened. Talu and Kora noticed his eyes slowly closed. We thought he was simply resting; he tired quickly in his illness. But when his breathing stopped, we knew the King would never open his eyes again. King Daren was no more. Yet Kora still refused to believe his father was dead; he kept screaming at him to wake up, bit his ears, did everything he could to awaken his father. But the King was dead…and in time, Kora let go, collapsing in a pile of tears by Daren's side."

Kodi was speechless. He had no idea Kora had suffered such a terrible loss at such a young age; the same way Lea and Suka felt all those years ago…

"It was a sad day for us all in the kingdom," Sauda continued, "Tears were shed all night, and the next day, it began to rain, as though the lands itself was in mourning for the loss of its king. And when word had spread about King Daren's death, everyone came to pay their last respects. He was loved so deeply by his subjects, in no way as I have ever seen anywhere else. Even Talu had cried; the first and only time I have ever seen her do so. She was always so strong, but the death of the lion she loved broke something in her that day. Witnessing her shedding tears like that made me cry even more."

"I felt the same way when I saw my dad cry, once," Kodi said absentmindedly, unintentionally voicing his thoughts aloud.

Sympathy flashed in Sauda's eyes.

"But Kora took Daren's death the worst of us all. Shortly after his father's passing, the prince fell into a state of depression. He wouldn't sleep, eat, play, or even so much as say a word to anyone. Talu tried her best to cheer him up, but to no avail. Not even Runako could put a smile on his face. Kora's case seemed hopeless….until Runako's sister tried talking to him.

"We don't know how she did it, but she managed to get Kora to eat, walk, and talk again. It was difficult at first—for all of us—but we eventually got back to being our regular selves. Except for Kora and Runako's sister: slowly but surely, the two fell in love. And when Talu felt she was ready to step down from the throne, her son took her place as the new king with his newlywed mate by his side as his queen."

Sauda and Kodi had made to the waterhole when Sauda finished. Both canine and feline lapped down the refreshing water till their thirst was satisfied.

Kodi never imagined the history behind the White Clouds: he felt lucky to hear it.

Sauda continued.

"Not long after they've been crowned, Kora's mate gave birth to two healthy cubs –whom you know as Suka and Lea. Kora was so proud. He'd play with them every chance he had. Their mother would sing to them and tell them stories, and so would their grandmother. The cubs got along with Runako – whom Kora had entitled as his second-in-command – the most; playing with them like he did with Kora and his sister. Everything was going great.

"Until…that one dreadful day…"

Kodi immediately knew what Sauda meant.

"You could just skip that part," He said. "Like I said before, Lea already told me about it."

Sauda nodded.

"Well then, let me get to what happened _afterwards_: Kora ordered his subjects to scour the kingdom for the monsters that murdered our queen, but in the end, we found nothing. Those _beasts_ had committed an unforgivable crime and have yet to be punished for it!

"Just as before, right when the White Cloud Lands were getting back on its feet, it came crumbling down again: Kora is a moving shell; Runako left the pride and is now a rogue lion; Suka is cold to everyone but Kora and Talu; and Lea is sad and miserable!"

Sauda growled viciously and looked like she was ready to attack something. Kodi, wide eyed, stared directly at her, not moving a muscle – not even breathing. Sauda realized what she was doing, and then immediately ceased.

"Forgive me," She said in a soft, shameful tone. "It's just…bottling up my emotions for so long does a lot to a lioness at my age."

"…It's okay," Kodi replied. "I understand, really. Everyone needs to blow off some steam once in a while."

Sauda smiled. She was starting to like this outsider.

"We better head back now," She informed the husky. "The sun's almost gone, and the other lionesses should be on their way back with their kill. Hopefully, the princess will bring home a kill, herself."

"Yeah, let's not keep them waiting," Kodi said.

And then they were on their way back to the den.

_Wow, so that's how Kora turned out the way he is now, _Kodi thought._ And that explains why he referred Dalila as simply "the baboon". Well…after learning about his sad and depressing past, I can't really blame the king for his actions. I'd probably be bitter and depressed myself if I were to go through that same ordeal. Still…for the sake of his family and his kingdom, Kora needs to get over his father and mate's deaths. I know it's tragic and all, but he still has a responsibility to everyone here, especially to Lea and Suka. Too bad his best friend and second-in-command left to be a rogue, whatever that is…_

"So…what exactly is a rogue?" Kodi asked.

"It's a lion or lioness who wonders the lands on his or her own – with no pride to go home to," Sauda replied. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, I'm just curious, that's all," Kodi replied. "Lea already mentioned that her uncle Runako had left your pride to be a rogue. She said something about her uncle saying this land was filled with too many memories of his sister, if that makes sense."

Sauda chuckled slightly

"Too many memories, indeed," She said. "Runako loved his sister just as much as Kora loved her. Unlike Kora though, Runako felt he had no reason to live in the White Clouds anymore; so one day he just got up and left. Kora didn't hear it from Runako, himself; he just heard from Talu, who was sad at his decision, but didn't hold it against him. However, all Kora did was snorted and act as though the news didn't bother him – as if it wasn't news at all."

"How did Lea and Suka take it?" Kodi asked.

"They didn't take it too well," Sauda replied. "They loved their uncle, and seeing him go hurt them deeply. It was like losing another loved one, to them."

Kodi nodded sadly.

"If you don't mind me asking…" he said, "what was…Suka like before…his mom died?"

Sauda let out a heavy sigh.

"A very loving, caring cub," She replied. "Always had a smile on his face; always eager to play with Lea and Runako; always friendly with everyone in the kingdom. But after his mother's death…everything went downhill: Suka turned horrible. Simply horrible. Soon after we paid our last respects to his mother, he grew bitter and angry; that was when he started attacking anyone who addressed him by his name – and nearly killing them, too! Lea tried to get Suka to listen to reason—to cease his senseless violence, but he attacked her, just like the others, because she said his name. If it weren't for Talu, Suka would have severely wounded his sister.

Kodi felt the fire of his rage ignite in his chest. It was inexcusable and downright unforgivable to hurt someone you're supposed to love! Just hearing about Suka hurting Lea increased Kodi's loathing for the red-mane, bitter, grudge-holding lion.

Sauda was stunned to hear the canine growl in such a vicious manner.

"…Sorry," Kodi said when he realized it.

"It's quite all right," Sauda answered. "Trust me; we all have our share of anger with the prince. However, I haven't even begun to tell you the worst of what he has done."

Kodi was dumbfounded. Suka had done worst?

"But before I get into that," Suka said, "let me finish this. As time went on, the once-happy White Cloud Lands slowly turned into a sad and miserable land: Kora no longer accepted his responsibilities as king and just roamed the lands with no motivation at all. A lot of the animals left the kingdom because of that, but some chose to stay; they hoped that one day Talu would once again resume her role as queen."

"Yeah, now that you mentioned it, how come Talu can't just be queen again?" Kodi asked.

"I'm afraid that's not possible, Kodi," Sauda replied. "Once a king or queen steps down from the throne, they cannot go back. That's one of the many rules of our land."

"Can't you just…break it? Just this once?" Kodi asked. "Rules are made to be broken, after all. At least that's what we say where I'm from."

Sauda laughed.

"Well, I don't know how you keep order and balance in your homeland, but out here – the one thing that keeps us sane is our rules of the land. And…despite everything, Talu still believes Kora will get back on his feet someday."

_Fat chance!_ Kodi thought.

As if she read his mind, Sauda smirked.

"I know, it doesn't seem likely to happen, but Talu still has faith in her son. She hopes someday, he'll snap out of this haze, and once again be the king everyone loved so much." She sighed; a small smile was shown on her face. "And…in spite of how I feel about Kora, I'll believe anything Talu says and does."

"You and Talu surely have a strong friendship, don't you?" Kodi said.

"Young man, you have no idea. Talu and I have been through a lot more than one cares to share. Throughout the years our friendship has grown to the point where I consider Talu a sister."

Kodi couldn't help but smile. He took back every negative thought he had about Sauda. But something was still bothered him…

"Hey, you still haven't explained the worst Suka had done," He pointed out.

Shaken out of her memories, Sauda nodded.

"Oh, right. Pardon an old lioness' ranting. At my age, you begin to lose your sense when somebody wants you to stop talking."

"It's cool."

"In any case, I suggest we take a rain check on that. We're almost at the den, and I believe that the lionesses have brought their kill, already."

"Just one more thing, Sauda," Kodi said. "If you don't mind me asking…what is…Lea and Suka's mother's name? I've noticed you haven't mentioned it yet."

Sauda let out a heavy sigh as she stopped in her tracks. Kodi then followed suit.

"I'll tell you her name _only_ once," She explained. "Once you've heard it, Kodi – you must not repeat it to anyone. It is taboo in our kingdom."

"…Okay…" Kodi replied, puzzled. How could a name of a loved one be tabooed?

"…Very well…her name is…Zahara."

"Zahara…?" Kodi repeated.

Sauda hushed him.

"I'll explain that in another time." She nearly whispered, glancing over at the den. "I still need to get you back before Talu and Lea return. So, no more questions."

They headed back to the den without saying another word. Just like Sauda predicted, the hunting lionesses had already returned with their kill. A few minutes later, Talu and Lea had finally arrived – with Lea holding a dead antelope in her jaws! Everyone jeered at the sight: The White Cloud princess had successfully hunted at last.

She dropped it with the rest of the kill and then ran straight to Kodi.

"I did it!" She said with excitement. "I really did it! I finally brought home a kill!"

"Congratulations, Lea," Kodi said. "I knew you could do it."

Before Lea could say or do anything else, her grandmother called her over. Talu then roared to get everyone's attention.

"This is a proud day for us all," She began. "Our princess has step into the world of the huntress and has brought home her first prey. Tonight, it will be her who first bites down into the meat, and let it give her the strength she needs to continue on for not only being a huntress but the future queen of the white clouds."

"TO PRINCESS LEA!" Everyone cheered in unison.

Lea blushed.

"Thank you, all," She said softly. "But I shouldn't take all the credit. After all, I didn't do this on my own. I've had help from two very important people who I wish to thank: First, to my grandmother Talu, who gave me the courage, knowledge and wisdom I needed to hunt successfully. I couldn't have done it without her."

Talu nuzzled her.

"And last but not least," Lea continued. "To my new best friend Kodi, who gave me a second chance not only at hunting, but at life – for it weren't for him…I wouldn't be sitting here with all of you…"

A single tear rolled down Lea's cheek. Her speech had touched everyone, especially Kodi. The bewildered husky never would've guessed the impact he had made on the princess.

"…So I would like to have Grandma and Kodi share with me my first prey," Lea finished, looking up at Talu. "If that's okay, Grandma."

The old lioness nuzzled her granddaughter again, and licked away the tear.

"My dear, it is your prey," She said. "You may do whatever you wish with it."

"Then I wish for you and Kodi to join me in feasting on it," Lea replied, grinning proudly.

"If that is your wish," Talu said, before facing the others. "Kodi, would you care to join us?"

"Uh…yeah, sure," He replied.

The husky then got up and walked toward the two lionesses. Lea and Talu already began ripping out the antelope's flesh and started chewing on it like (to Kodi's point of view) wild animals.

"Eat up, Kodi-boy," Lea said happily. "There's plenty for you."

Kodi felt uneasy when it came to eating raw meat. He was a sled dog who was fed dog food; not something so…_raw_. But…when in the wild, do what the wild ones do.

_Why does that sound familiar?_ Kodi thought as he slowly dug in to the antelope, _I think I heard that from a human a while back. But it's something totally different from what I came up. I…think it's a place that rhymes with Nome…but I know that's not it. Oh well. Just deal with it and eat the raw meat, I guess._

Soon after, all the lionesses joined in. Once everyone had had their fill, they disposed of the bones and saved enough meat for Kora and Suka when they returned. The lionesses believed neither king nor prince would be returning tonight. They were both known to disappear for days every once in a while. Nightfall had arrived; and everybody was getting ready to go to sleep, except for Kodi, Lea, Talu, and Sauda. They were lying in a circle close to the mouth of the den, facing each other.

"How did Sauda treat you today, Kodi?" Talu asked.

"Well," Kodi replied truthfully. "Very well. Sauda is a very nice and…" he smiled "cool lioness."

Talu beamed and looked at her dear old friend, who smiled back at her.

"I knew she would be," Talu told Kodi. "You first thought she was going to be mean and strict, didn't you?"

"…Uh…well…now that you mentioned it…yeah…a little," Kodi replied sheepishly, avoiding eye contact.

Lea laughed, and Talu and Sauda soon joined in.

"Don't worry, Kodi," Lea chuckled, "I used to think the same way about her too."

"Yeah, Sauda has that impression on those who first meet her," Talu said. "She's been doing that for as long as I've known her."

"It's a curse, I tell you!" Sauda shouted in mock anger. "The Great Kings have cursed me! Why do you think Mufasa chose Talu over me!"

"SAUDA!" Talu roared while her face glowed red like a human schoolgirl.

Sauda was laughing like she was a cub again. Lea giggled, while poor Kodi sat dumbfounded by all this.

"Age can be curl, right Kodi?" Lea whispered. "As the body continues to grow, the brain begins to lose that one part that helps you act like a 'proper' lady."

"Yeah, I guess so," Kodi replied.

The two elderly lionesses then settled down when they heard that.

"Anyway, I knew Sauda would take good care of you, Kodi," Talu said. "Did you rest like I told you to?"

"Yes, ma'am," Kodi replied, like a little cub answering his mother's questions.

"Good. What else did the two of you do?"

"I told Kodi the origins of our pride, Talu," Sauda answered, deciding to speak for Kodi. "I felt that he should know about Kora and his mate and Runako. But I told him only what I felt you'd be okay with. The rest he should learn from you."

"Wise choice, Sauda," Talu said. "And you're absolutely right. After everything the poor boy's been through, Kodi has earned the right to hear about our past. Besides, I believe it's only fair, since he told Lea about his _own_ father's past."

"You told her?" Kodi asked Lea.

"Well, you didn't say it was a secret," Lea replied.

"No, I don't mean it that way," Kodi said. "It's just I didn't think you'd tell her while you were hunting."

"Well, at first we couldn't find any herds, so I got bored," Lea explained. "And then Grandma asked me what you and I did in the cave yesterday, and so I told her."

"_Everything_?" Kodi asked, dumbfounded.

"Well…only the short version of it," Lea replied. "As in I only told Grandma the good stuff."

"And I must say, Kodi," Talu said. "From what my granddaughter told me, your father has certainly been through a lot of rough spots. It makes me curious to learn how someone like him to become the wolfdog worthy enough for the Great Kings to choose him to help the Pride Lands."

"Oh, that was just the beginning of my old man's tale," Kodi assured her.

"Oh, I'm sure it was."

"So, wanna start where you left off now, Kodi?" Lea asked.

"Now?" Kodi asked.

"You didn't think you were gonna go another day without telling me more, did you Kodi-boy?"

"Lea, sweetheart, let him be," Talu half-scolded, noticing how tired the husky looked. "Let him rest for tonight. Besides, I believe it's about time I share you all a nighttime story."

"Really, Grandma?" Lea asked, thrilled. "What story are you gonna tell us?"

"The story of the mighty, handsome lion prince who had taught me the Circle of Life…"

* * *

**End of chapter. Here's a little trivia fact: Kora, Suka (chapter 14), and Runako (chapter 12) had spoken to Zahara all on the same night, unknowingly. Thought I should share that with you. Anyway, I am very happy with how chapter came out. KHwhitelion did an awesome job on it; so I don't deserve all the credit. In any case, in the next chapter, Talu will tell the rest of her story of what her life was like in the Pride Lands; how close she and Mufasa were; and how she had met Daren. And in a couple future chapters we'll see Suka and the Rebel Six again, so don't worry. Please review. I'd like to hear from everybody.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hey there, guys. Well, it's finally here! The moment you all have been waiting for. Chapter 16! That's right, the REAL chapter 16! It wasn't easy, but I finally managed to pull it off. Now, before you get to reading, let me explain a little about this chapter. In the previous chapter, I said this'd be the chronicle of Talu's life in the Pride Lands. Here's the thing, however: What I want to explain in the chronicle was too much information than I intended, so I came up with a conclusion. "Talu's life in the Pride Lands should be a prequel." So that's what I decided to do.**

**There was too much to explain about Talu's past, and I didn't want to drift away from the main plot any more that I already have. So if you were hoping to see Talu in the Pride Lands again, I apologize.**

**Anyway, for this chapter, it is a lot shorter than my previous ones, due to my writing time being limited thanks to my job. But I think you'll like it. Chapter 16 basically explains what happened to Suka, and what the Rebel Six's intentions are. It takes place around the same time Kodi was with Sauda, and Lea learning more on her second hunt with Talu.**

**Last but not least, I'd like to give a BIG thanks to a fellow fanfic writer and very good friend of mine, iWolf231, for beta reading this chapter, and doing an outstanding job on editing and IMPROVING this chapter. Seriously, this chapter wouldn't be this great without him. Okay. Enough chatting. Onward!**

* * *

_Suka was in very good spirits. The little lion cub didn't have a care in the world, because everything in his life was perfect. He had warmhearted parents that cared for him deeply. He had a loving sister whom was always more than happy to play with him and vice-versa. He had a devoted uncle whom was more like a big brother to him, whom would laugh and play with him and his sister. And last but not least, he had a tender grandmother whom would sing to him and his sister at nights, and tell them stories of adventure, love, and friendship._

_There was nothing more he could ask for._

_The young prince was curled into a little ball, waking up from his catnap. Something soft and warm started to rub against his back. The feeling wasn't rough or harsh in any way. On the contrary, he never wanted it to leave him, for it was full of love and kindness; one of which he recognized immediately. He raised his head, and saw a pair of sky blue eyes that shone with warmth and love. The cub couldn't help but smile and reach his head over to nuzzle the loving lioness' chin._

"_My sweet little Suka," his mother greeted, her voice filled with love and care. "You and your sister are growing up so fast. It won't be long before you'll be able to join your father and uncle in roaming the savanna."_

"_Mommy," was the first word the young cub said before a morning yawn escaped him. "Does that mean I'm old enough to leave the den and play a little bit farther, without a babysitter always watching me?"_

_His mother chuckled and licked his face affectionately._

"_Not yet, my brave prince," she replied. "Maybe next year - you shouldn't be rushing these things. Good things always come to those who are patient."_

"_Aw, but Lea and I wanna go out explore already—by ourselves!"_

_Despite his protests, his mother just shook her head._

"_What have I done?" she mumbled, causing Suka to pout. His mother sighed and licked his cheek._

"_One day, my brave little Suka," she told him warmly. "For now, I want to enjoy the time having you curled up in my paws while I can. Before I know it, you'll be at the age where you wouldn't want your mother always near you."_

_Suka sighed in defeat. He knew it was pointless to argue with his mother any further. No matter what, she would always hold some power over him, and always felt at peace whenever his mother had said his name that way—filled with such warmth and love only a true mother could accomplish._

"_Feels nice, doesn't it?" another voice snickered._

_Suka's eyes shot open. The voice wasn't his mother's, but it was coming from where she was supposed to be. He looked up and was terrified to find that in her place was the most frightening hyena he had ever seen. The beast had multiple scars on its face and body, and a couple of bite marks on its ears. Its right eye lacked an iris and pupil, making it appear as white as a bone. The repulsive creature carried a wicked smug on its face, eyeing the frightened little cub beneath it._

"_I'm sorry, were you expecting someone else?" the hideous creature mocked, its snicker giving way to cruel laughter at the cub's fright._

_Suka jumped out of the hyena's scar-covered arms and stared at the mysterious beast in utter shock. The one-eyed hyena was cackling hysterically, its open jaws exposing yellow fangs and blackened gums at the distraught lion cub._

"_I know what you're thinking, kid – 'Where, oh where, is my sweet, beloved mommy?' Well, don't fret - your mother is right behind you."_

_Suka jerked his head over his shoulder and saw not his loving mother with her sweet, heartwarming smile, but a shredded and torn-out lioness carcass laying on the ground, her shock frozen into her lifeless eyes._

"_Mommy?" He shrieked, running toward her. "Mommy, wake up! P-Please, M-Mommy! T-This isn't funny! This is scaring me! Make it go away, please! PLEASE!"_

_Unfortunately, his efforts were for naught. The kind, humble queen was truly dead. Tears stained the young cub's cheeks as he desperately pleaded for his mother to wake up. The monstrous hyena let out another screeching cackle as he watched the upset lion cub's fruitless efforts._

"_You have never actually seen death before, have you, kid?" he remarked, snickering. "Well, I guess there's a first time for everything."_

_The hyena let out another laugh, but this one was far more sinister than the ones before it. It was a laugh that made blood run cold, and would steal the courage of even the bravest beast. A second laugh followed, then another, and many more after that. There were many voices now, each coming from a new hyena that emerged from the first, all identical to each other. The monster itself was splitting apart, each half forming a new copy before splitting again, until there were more than Suka could count. The young cub sank as low as he could, trembling in utter fear and confusion. _

_Why is this happening? What has happened to my mother? Why are these…_MONSTERS_ doing this? All these questions sent his head into a spin, leaving him with no room to breathe._

_Suddenly the hyenas merged into one, but this time—it was replaced by a rusty red and creamy white colored beast, with no pupil or iris just like the hyena._

"_What's the matter, kid?" it said, smirking. "Still sore about me taking your 'Mommy' away? Well, your grandma and your sister seemed to have gotten over it already. Why don't you? After all, I'm part of the pride now."_

_The beast then let out yet another laugh, and the small cub could feel himself falling. The laughter echoed in his ears, growing louder and louder the farther he descended into the darkness…_

* * *

Suka jumped and screamed, but his yells were muffled. The startled lion found himself bound and gagged by vines securely tied around his legs and muzzle. He looked at his surroundings—or what he could see of them that is. The light was dim, meaning the only things he could make out was a dark slab overhead. He was in some sort of cave. He could hear water crashing to his side, and he turned to see a waterfall cascading down at the other end of the cave, probably as its entrance. Realizing his predicament, he struggled relentlessly to break himself free from the vines.

_How could this have happened? _he thought as he continued to break free. _Who's done this to me?_

His first thought was of the red and white hyena, but that idea was quickly pushed aside. Suka was ten times stronger than the wretched beast. He could've taken the thing down blindfolded. Their last encounter was a good example…

_No,_ Suka thought as he kept struggling. _It couldn't have been him…but who then? I need to break free…_

A snicker escaped from the shadows, causing Suka to freeze. He glanced to his left and saw two silhouettes moving towards him. Once they were close enough for him to identify, memories of what had happen to him last night started flowing like the waterfall not far from him. A growl started to form in his throat, becoming fiercer the closer the two lions got to him, but were still muffled by the vines that held his jaw shut.

"Good to see you're finally awake, sunshine," said a grey lion.

"For a moment there we thought Ajani used too much of his brawn on you," said the battle scarred lion.

"Then again, we _did _lend in a paw, didn't we, Diallo?" the first lion asked, looking at his partner, who just shrugged and chuckled.

"Yeah, I guess we did, Kiho…but what are friends for?"

_You mean former friends, _Suka thought as he glared daggers at the two. The bound lion resumed his efforts to be free, but the two brutes simply laughed at his efforts.

"You might as well just stop, Sukiee," Kiho sneered. "Chisulo managed to get some mongooses who are good with tying tight knots. Speaking of which, we need to inform the boss the grudge-holder's finally awake."

"No need, boys," came Chisulo's voice as he walked into the cave, along with his lover in discord, Sade. "I'm right here."

The smug lion walked over to his former best friend and fellow rebel.

"How was that nap, Sukiee?" he taunted in Suka's left ear. "Dreaming of dead, ungrateful mothers again? Or perhaps some certain hyenas?"

Like a reflex, Suka's hatred burned like lava throughout his body just from hearing his name, amplified further by Chisulo's taunts. He wished that the fire within him would burn off his restraints so he could turn his captor and his grunts into unrecognizable carcasses. Chisulo could see Suka's rapid struggle to break free, and simply laughed.

"Same old Suka - always gets sore from hearing his own name. Well, care to hold on a minute so I can tell you _why_ you're here in the first place?"

Suka's struggles slowed to a halt, but the anger still burned in his eyes. As much as he wanted to rip and tear that arrogant smirk on his former friend's muzzle, the White Cloud prince did want to know why he had been brought here like this.

Satisfied that he had Suka's attention, the Rebel Six leader began his story.

"You see, Sukiee, it's like this: The White Clouds are a dying breed. They've been holding on by a loose thread for so many years now. It's a wonder that they've managed to stay together for this long. Nevertheless, it's only a matter of time until that walking shell of a king that you call a father drops dead from the grief of losing his dear mate."

Suka growled as ferociously as he could with vines strapped around his muzzle. Sade calmly walked to the enraged prince and swiped him on his side with her claws, and ending Suka's growls.

"First rule to follow while you're here with us, little Sukiee," she smirked. "Never speak when my Chisulo is talking. Consider that your first, and only warning."

Kiho and Diallo snickered, while Chisulo simply smiled in pride at his sadistic lover.

"Thank you, dear," he said, giving her a lick on the cheek.

"It was my pleasure, sweet-face," Sade replied, giggling a little. They couldn't see it, but their exchange made Suka roll his eyes, adding annoyance to his monumental rage.

"Now, as I was saying before I was so _rudely interrupted_," Chisulo went on. "My pals and I believe it's high time we put that weepy king out of his misery, and take control of the entire kingdom, with yours truly as the new king, of course."

Suka stared at the lion, flabbergasted by what he just heard. The Rebel Six were actually going to kill his father and take the kingdom by force?

"_Ooovvah vy bbedd bovy!_" he yelled through his restraints, but his protest only earned more laughter from his captors.

"Like I said, same old Suka," Chisulo taunted. "In case you haven't realized it, Sukiee, not only are you all tied up, but you're also outnumbered four to one. And I'm very sure that my men haven't roughed you up enough for you to forget about last night."

Suka said nothing, and looked away from his ex-partner trying hard to hide his shame. He hated to admit it, but Chisulo was right. Even if he somehow managed get free from the restraints, Suka would be heavily outmatched by Chisulo and his lackeys. Even he knew he'd be fighting a losing battle. He was helpless, and his captors knew it, snickering over how they'd managed to bring the proud lion down to their level.

"Good, Sukiee," the alpha lion said. "You're finally being submissive for once. Now then, I still haven't finished explaining why you're here. You see, we need bait, and what better bait is there than the weepy king's only son?"

Suka let out another muffled roar, but the rebel leader did not react to it.

"But don't you worry, Sukiee," Chisulo assured. "If everything goes according to plan, I'm sure you won't be hurt…_much_."

More snickering from the group followed, before Chisulo turned to his followers.

"All right then," he called to his lackeys. "With that aside, let's get things running. Right now, Ajani's tracking that wimpy Kora as we speak. He should be back in a few hours with more information."

"Oh come on, boss!" Diallo whined. "We've been spying on that miserable old fool for three days already! It's the same old thing: He wanders the land aimlessly, roars at his subjects to prove that he's 'the king', and then mopes some more! It's just the same old crap, day after day. I say we're more than ready to take that pussycat out now!"

"I know that, but we still need to bide our time," Chisulo snapped. "We know everything about Kora, but not his lionesses; they aren't taking their dead queen as doleful as him, which means they could still be a threat to us."

"Oh come on, love," Sade added, shaking her head. "You think they'd help their wimpy king in his time of need? Please, they're just waiting for somebody to put him down already! Why don't we do the honor now?"

"Because, my little sadist, there's more than what meets the eye here," her mate purred. "Sure, the lionesses don't like their king any more than we do, but there's one other threat we can't overlook: That old hag, Talu."

"Sukiee's grandmother?" Kilo asked.

"Yes, the very same," Chisulo replied.

Suka was dead silent when he heard his grandmother's name.

"So what about that dried-out rug?" Sade asked in annoyance.

Chisulo shook his head, before explaining, "The White Clouds are near the edge thanks to their king, but if that old fool Talu were to take charge, not only will the whole pride recover, but her subjects would follow her every command, leading them to greatness again."

"But she's old!" Diallo yelled out. "Her time's almost up! Not to mention that she's no match for any of us!"

Chisulo roared out, startling everyone in the den, even Suka. "Diallo, do you _ever_ stop to think before you speak?" he growled.

The subordinate lion bit his lip and looked away sheepishly.

"I didn't think so," his leader muttered. "Alright, just so everyone's clear on my intentions: we all know that Talu is a wretched old hag that life has no need for her anymore. However, not everybody agrees with me. She still has subjects loyal to her, including those lionesses of Kora's. Long story short, if anything were to happen to any of her kin, the hag would lead the lionesses _and _whoever else she can find to capture the ones responsible. Those fools would follow that hag to the ends of the earth if they had to; that's how loyal they are to her! Then _we_ will be the ones outmatched and outnumbered! We're just lucky that Sukiee here is known to go off for weeks on end…not to mention that everyone is scared witless of him. That means no one's going to start looking for him anytime soon."

The leader looked down at his prisoner with a satisfied smirk. Suka was wishing more than anything that he could strike down Chisulo just by starting at him with all his hate and rage.

"What we need is a way to lead the hag out of her safe haven and take her out—after we bring down that weeping king once and for all!" Chisulo declared. "Don't worry, my faithful followers - in a few days, we'll use Sukiee to lure Kora directly to us, then we'll kill him. And the same will be said on that old hag!"

As the rebels cheered in agreement, Suka couldn't believe what he was hearing. It was bad enough that his former fellow rebels took him down, but they were also going to use him to lead his father and grandmother to their doom. That thought rattled him to his core, and he couldn't stop the tears that began to leak out of his eyes. He felt there was nothing he could do to stop them from fulfilling their devious plans. The vines were much too strong for him to break, nobody was out looking for him, and his captors were leaving no opening for escape. His fear and helplessness made him think back to last night, when he was desperately crying to the heavens for his late mother to call out his name. Now, he felt as if even she had abandoned him in his time of need. He was alone here, and for the first time in a long time, he didn't wish to be alone…

"Well, now that's out of the way," Chisulo added, breaking Suka from his thoughts. "I need to speak with my baby brother. Do any of you know where he's at?"

"He's probably out at his usual spot talking with those mongooses again," Kiho replied. "Should I get him, boss?"

"Nah," Chisulo replied. "I need to speak with him in private anyway. You three keep an eye on our old friend here; make sure he doesn't get…lonesome."

"You got it, boss," Diallo replied.

"Considered it done," Kiho affirmed.

"Don't worry, lover, we'll take good care of him," Sade added, licking her right claws. "Though if it's not too much trouble, I wouldn't mind it if you brought those mongooses over here…I'm starting to get a bit bored and hungry."

Chisulo chuckled and nuzzled his future queen passionately.

"Of course, my sweet," he whispered in her ear, earning a purr from her.

He trotted towards the mouth of the rebels' hideout and jumped through the waterfall. After shaking the water out of his mane, he set off for his destination. Out in a secluded part of the jungle, Chisulo found his little brother Chicha, finding his back was turned. The smug leader saw his little brother lying on the ground, and from what he could see, he was talking to the mongooses who had helped them tie Suka up. Chisulo smirked at the scene before him.

_Of course he'd be talking to them_ - _who else does he have? The others find him boring and I can only handle his pity pleas and mumbling for so long. _Chisulo quietly crept towards the group, able to overhear their conversation.

"- I know you wanna leave, and believe me, if I could, I would let you go - but I can't," Chicha spoke in a low, timid voice to the mongoose couple. "My brother makes all the decisions, and if he sees you guys missing, he'd be very angry…and you really won't like him when he's angry."

"Please, Chicha, you have to help us somehow!" begged the male mongoose, who was on his knees to plead with the lion. "My mate and I have done what your brother and his friends wanted us to do. What more does he want from us?"

"Maybe you could reason with him," the female mongoose added. "Tell him that we've done our part and we would like to go home to our children. They must be worried sick from wondering what's become of us by now."

Chicha could only feel for the mongoose couple. He didn't like having to hold them against their will…but what could he do?

"Aba, Dahnay, as much as that sounds like the right thing to do…I just can't," he explained in defeat. "Chisulo won't listen to me. I've begged him time and time again, but he never listens."

"Never listens to what, little brother?"

Chicha, Aba, and Dahnay jumped from shocked when they heard Chisulo's voice. The timid trio jerked their heads to the rebel leader as he approached.

"Now, what is it you three are doing out here all by yourselves?" the alpha lion asked, eyeing each one of them while wearing a smirk on his muzzle. "Having a private conversation of how unfair I am?"

None of them answered. All were trying to avoid eye contact, but Chisulo's smirk only grew wider. They feared him, and that was what he liked to see.

"Well? I'm waiting."

Chicha looked at his older brother timidly, before summing what courage he had to speak.

"Chisulo…please…can you let these mongooses go now?" He spoke in the bravest tone he could muster, but even that held a bit of a waver from his fear. "T-They've done what you wanted. Suka is tied up…just like you wanted. What more do you need from them?"

Chisulo snickered.

_This is too easy,_ he thought.

"You're right, little brother," he said. "I don't need them anymore."

His brother and the mongoose couple lit up with glee at that, thinking his smile was out of sincerity rather than the sadism he truly held.

_Again too easy,_ he thought.

"So in that case, I'll have my beloved Sade have some fun with them," he announced. "She just told me she'd like to see them right now."

"NOOO!" Chicha shouted in utter terror, knowing full well where this was going. "P-Please d-don't!"

The little couple hid behind Chicha's hind legs in utter fear. They knew exactly what kind of "fun" Sade the Sadist had in store for them as much as their lion friend did. In the meantime, Chisulo masked himself with a serious expression. The sweet joy of intimidation - he thrived on that.

"What's the matter, little brother?" Chisulo said in mock naïve. "I really don't need those two anymore, but my beloved does, and you know how I hate to disappoint her. I'm sure they'll be just fine with her."

Aba and Dahnay felt shivers run their spines from fear at the powerful, muscular lion from behind their friend's legs; all while Chicha was desperately thinking of an excuse or something to keep them from being Sade's new "playthings".

"W-wait!" he stuttered. "I-I forgot something v-very important. W-what if…the vines get loose and…Suka…what if he breaks free and tries to run again?"

"Ah! You're brought up an interesting point, little brother," Chisulo said, going along with the excuse.

"Y-yeah," the timid brother continued. "M-maybe having the mongooses leave so early would be a bad idea. I'm sorry for not realizing that sooner, big brother."

"Ah! No harm done," Chisulo replied. "Looks like Sade will have to wait a little longer to have fun with them. Hopefully she won't be too disappointed."

Aba and Dahnay exhaled the air they didn't even know they were holding in. They'd just been saved from being tortured – and eaten – thanks to the actions of their new friend and savior.

"Well, in that case, you two pipsqueaks better head back to the cave right now!" Chisulo ordered firmly. "Tell Sade in these exact words, 'I'm afraid not today, my radiant flower'. That should do the trick in your favor. Go—NOW!"

The two small mammals jumped and dashed toward the den without hesitation. Chisulo was now alone with his little brother, which was perfect for him.

"Now," he began. "With those two out of the way, I have something I'd like to share with you, Chickie."

Chicha was still avoiding his older brother's gaze. He always hated it when he called him by that stupid nickname.

"W-what is it?" he stammered in a low voice.

"Well, little brother, it is no secret that you're—how should I put this nicely—incapable of putting up a good fight, let alone leading a pride to victory," his brother stated matter-of-factly. "So, as future king of this new land, it's my decision to have Kiho as my second-in-command. I trust there's no hard feelings, little bro."

Chicha said nothing. It was no surprise that Chisulo would pull something like that. For as long as he could remember, Chicha would always get the short end of the stick when it had come to his brother and the other rebels. Besides, Chicha had no intention of becoming second-in-command even if - by some miracle - Chisulo wanted him to. He had never wanted to take part of this crazy plan his brother thought up a few months back in the first place, but what choice did he have? His only living relative was Chisulo, he had no skills or instincts to live as a rouge lion, and he always dreaded the thought of being all by himself.

Chisulo knew what his brother was thinking simply by looking at his gloomy expression.

"Hey, come on, bro, cheer up, already. What have I told you about thinking about the past?"

"It'll only make you weaker than what you already are," Chicha said, reciting the exact words Chisulo had told him countless times.

"Exactly. Look what has happened to Sukiee back there. That's all he and his weeping family do all day! That's why their kingdom is crumbling to dust, and they don't even know it! Now tell yourself: Do you think Mom would want any of us to be weak when we have a kingdom to rule?"

"No, she wouldn't," Chicha answered, making his brother's smile grow wider in satisfaction. "Although…she also told us…on the night she died…to live a happy and fulfilled life…"

Chisulo's conceited smile dropped. Hearing the exact quote his long-dead mother had given him from his little brother had took him by surprise.

"And we are," he replied in a firm tone, regaining his composure. "We're in the middle of planning to rule a stunning and gorgeous land by bringing down some losers who don't deserve to be called rulers. Once that's taken care of, we'll be happier than ever!"

There was a pause, before Chicha asked a question that had dogged his mind for a long time, but he'd been too afraid to ask, "But who would be more happy? Just you, your crazy, sick girlfriend and your cruel friends? Or am I included too for once?"

Chisulo was taken aback. He wasn't used to hearing his weak, defenseless brother talk back to him like that. Hearing such insubordination caused an angry growl to start to form in his throat

"You have some nerve talking to me like that, little brother," he stated, trying to maintain a hold on his anger. "To answer your question, I want us _all_ to be happy. However…" It took less than a second for Chisulo to pounce on his brother, meaning the younger lion never saw it coming. The proud leader roared right in his younger sibling's terrified face, adding, "I can also make you very, _very_ unhappy if I so choose to right now. Let's not forget who you're talking to. Your older brother who could beat you down with one swift of his tail! Without me, you're nothing! Without me, you would've been died long ago!"

Chicha could feel Chisulo's claws digging into his chest as his brother delivered his ultimatum, knowing full well it wouldn't take much more for them to tear into him.

"And let's not forget your two little friends," Chisulo continued. "They'd already be Sade's chow if I didn't spare them. You think I'm worried about little Sukiee escaping? Pfft. It seems you don't know me well enough. I just decided to keep your friends alive for now because I felt like being generous to you, my little brother." He placed his right paw on Chicha's neck, making sure to press hard enough to make his brother struggle for breath. "Now, if you ever talk like that to your older brother and your future king, you don't even want to know what the punishment would be, but I assure you you'll be begging for another chance. Do I make myself clear?"

Chicha desperately tried to reply, but the pressure on his neck prevented him from getting any words out. His older brother was right about being far stronger. Fortunately, Chisulo could tell his brother had gotten the message, and released him from his grip. Chicha sucked in the sweet air, grateful to be able to live another day.

"Sorry about that, Chickie, but I felt you needed to be reminded of your place with me," Chisulo smirked. "Now, be a good boy and go play with your little friends," he finished before taking off, muttering to himself, "I _am_ the king."

Finally alone, but still shaken from the ordeal Chicha felt hot tears sliding down his cheeks. Sure, his brother had verbally picked on him before, but never before had he gotten so physically aggressive to the point where he felt his own life was in danger.

"What has happened to you, Chisulo?" he asked himself, wondering if this would only be a taste of the storm to come.

* * *

**Well, there you have it. Again, I'm sorry for not making it as long as my hiatus, but I do have a life; a very busy one, at that.**

**I'd like to thank you all for your amazing feedback on this story. Seriously, I never thought this story would take off at all. And I also like to say a few words to the impatient fellas (you know who you are). I'm sorry for making you wait this long for this chapter, but like I already said, I have a busy life. And when I'm not busy, I'd like to take some time reading other amazing writers' work. If I could, I'd be uploading new chapters of all my stories every other day. So be patient, alright? Just like you, I have problems that require my full attention sometimes.**

**On a lighter note, I like to again thank iWolf231 for doing such a remarkable job on this chapter. Half of the credit goes directly to him. Okay, I've never done this before, but I feel I need to. If you guys love my story, then you'll definitely enjoy iWolf231's stories. They all focus on the Balto franchise and believe me, he does the franchise great justice. While you're waiting for Chapter 17, check out his profile. Trust me, you won't be disappointed! His stories are AWESOME! Plain and simple.**

**Chow!**


End file.
